Aug 23, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; President Donald Trump (M) gestures from his viewing box next to IndyCar owner and IMS owner Roger Penske (L) and First Lady Melania Trump (R) after the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on the street circuit at National Mall. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Republicans rang the alarm bells loud and clear on Sunday as economic uncertainty continues to grow after President Donald Trump's latest moves, according to a new report.
Republicans shared this fresh concern about Trump's economy in a range of TV interviews and public comments on Sunday, the New York Times reported. They came at a time when public polling had consistently shown that the economy and affordability are two of the top concerns for voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) was one Republican who sharply criticized Trump's move to lower tariffs on imported beef.
"'We need to focus on affordability, but I think this isn’t the way to do that,' Ms. Hinson told Fox News in an interview broadcast on 'Sunday Morning Futures,'" according to the report. She added that the move was likely to "hurt domestic cattle ranchers."
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) also criticized Trump's failed trade negotiations with Canada, and his decision to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods.
"'If the Administration (sic) proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices,' Ms. Collins wrote in a social media post, urging 'both sides to return to the negotiating table,'" the report reads in part.
Even Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, one of Trump's most staunch supporters, admitted during an interview on ABC News' "This Week" that "we all need to have prices lowered."
Not only did the remarks come at a perilous time for the administration, but they also revealed "some of the geographic sensitivities to the administration’s economic approach that could come into play in November in battleground states such as Iowa and Maine," according to the report.
“At the end of the day, the American people need to see the contrast,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said during an interview with Kristen Welker of NBC News about the differences between the Trump economy and the economy under the Biden administration. “And the good news is, they’re seeing the contrast.”