The conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board gave President Donald Trump the riot act on Friday over his new emergency tariffs targeting foreign furniture — opening with the withering question, "Who knew that Ikea sofas were a national security threat?"
The board, which has consistently railed against Trump's increasingly burdensome tariff policies, wrote its analysis at a moment when the Supreme Court is gearing up to hear a case that challenges whether Trump has the authority to unilaterally declare tariffs in the first place — something multiple lower courts have ruled he does not.
The tariff, which puts 10 percent extra on lumber, 25 percent on many types of wooden furniture, and 25 percent on heavy-duty trucks, takes a different route, using Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which is meant for national security purposes.
"The President said the tariffs are in response to countries 'FLOODING' products into the U.S. 'We must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process,' he wrote on Truth Social," wrote the board. "Note that most of these products are already covered by the border taxes he’s imposed using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)."
Trump's claims to act as a savior of manufacturing, however, don't seem credible, wrote the board, given that "his metal tariffs, which he made even more punitive this year, are hurting U.S. manufacturers of hundreds of products. Furniture manufacturers are having to pay more for imported steel, aluminum, timber and upholstery. Trucking companies are placing fewer orders for new big rigs because of the slowdown in trade. Building permits for new housing units have fallen 11% over the last year, which home builders attribute to tariff uncertainty. That means less demand for kitchen cabinets."
All of this, wrote the board, means Republicans need to stop fearing the president's wrath and act to stop him.
"Republicans in Congress have been reluctant to limit Mr. Trump’s tariff power, or anything else he does for that matter," the board concluded. "But they might note that his border taxes are broadly unpopular and could boomerang on the party during the midterm elections."
