President Donald Trump's policies are leaving swathes of American industry on its knees, their leaders told USA Today Thursday — and Republicans are increasingly panicked that it's going to cost them.
Six months after President Donald Trump's controversial "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, American agriculture and manufacturing has dramatically transformed, the report said. The consequences are extending far beyond immediate market disruptions.
Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association, has become a vocal critic of the tariff policy. He detailed how these trade restrictions have fundamentally altered international agricultural markets, effectively severing crucial export relationships. Retaliatory taxes imposed by China have rendered traditional soybean trading routes economically unfeasible.
"We need to not punch our customers in the face with tariffs," Ragland told USA Today. "Throwing rocks at each other isn't good for either one of us."
The economic fallout has prompted a bipartisan reassessment of trade strategies. While Trump and congressional leadership have attempted to mitigate damage through proposed farmer support programs, political tensions remain high. Democrats, led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), have characterized the tariffs as a mechanism that disproportionately impacts middle-class families while potentially benefiting wealthy economic interests, USA Today reported.
The automotive sector has emerged as another critical battleground in this economic conflict. Manufacturers are projecting billions in potential financial impacts, though they have thus far managed to insulate consumers from dramatic price increases, according to the report. Michigan-based economic indicators, however, suggest growing apprehension about potential job market losses and economic uncertainty.
Industry experts like Glenn Stevens Jr. from MichAuto and Sandy Baruah of the Detroit Regional Chamber emphasized the precarious economic environment, USA Today reported. Their assessments indicate that while immediate catastrophic outcomes have been avoided, long-term structural challenges remain significant.
The tariff drama has been further complicated by a pending Supreme Court review of presidential trade authority. Political analysts view this as a potential watershed moment that could reshape executive power in international economic policy.
Scott McLean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University, suggested the administration is strategically navigating complex political terrain. "They will question why President Trump should have this kind of unilateral power over raising taxes through tariffs," McLean told USA Today, highlighting the potential constitutional implications.
Internal Republican dissent has begun to crystallize, with representatives like Don Bacon of Nebraska explicitly challenging the administration's approach. Bacon's statement that "tariffs are a tax on the American consumer" signals potential fractures within the party's economic policy consensus.
Strategic battleground states including Iowa, Michigan, and North Carolina have emerged as critical economic bellwethers. A growing number of Republicans are worried the potential ripple effects on the 2026 midterm elections could devastate the GOP's control of both Houses on Congress, USA Today reported.
For agricultural producers like Ragland, the immediate economic reality is the main concern. "Right now, they haven't purchased a single soybean of this crop that's being harvested," he said. "We're looking at 25 percent of sales – poof – it's gone."
