GOP in-fighting as tariff ruling leaves party divided: report
The Republican Party is in turmoil over the recent Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's use of tariffs, according to a report.
The 6-3 ruling against the president means Congressional approval must be sought when increasing tariff percentages. This is a ruling Trump has hit back at, but it has left the GOP in disarray, with representatives airing their concerns over the economic situation, according to The Hill.
Susan Collins (R-ME) said the Supreme Court decision "reaffirms that only Congress has the constitutional authority to impose tariffs, and the President can only do so under a clear and limited delegation of authority from Congress."
Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) aired a growing concern within the GOP when speaking to The Hill — maintaining a balance between rejecting or reforming tariffs, and supporting the president.
"I’m certainly open to reconciliation, but there’s more things beyond tariffs that we need to address," he said. "There’s a lot of things we should [do] through reconciliation. I’ve not traditionally been a fan of tariffs, I’ve been very clear about that. But, again, I support the president and his agenda."
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who is attempting to push a "reconciliation bill" through Congress to move already in-place tariffs to a higher amount, has backed the economic policy. He also ruled out the GOP giving refunds to businesses affected by tariffs over the last year.
He said, "Who’s the money going back to? How’s that going to work? The only people who would say something like that would be people who don’t know how business works.
"If you went into Walmart and bought a patio chair for $100, do you get a refund or does the importer, who’s probably a Chinese company, get a refund? It’s crazy. We’re not going to issue refunds."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has since commented on the tariff policy and potential refunds for businesses, dubbing the plan to return $175 billion "corporate welfare".
Those who have aired their support for Trump's tariff deals suggested they can be useful in certain contexts. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) approved the use in pressuring other nations, but noted a permanent tariff option would be unfair.
He said, "Tariffs can be an important and effective tool to address unfair trade practices and help level the playing field with foreign competitors.”
But Brian Darling, a GOP strategist and former Senate aide, also suggested Congress would not be keen to expose themselves to Trump's wrath when it comes to deciding on tariff refunds.
He said, "I think [Republican] members of Congress are going to be reluctant to get ahead of the administration on refunds, on tariff refunds. I just can’t see this Congress thumbing their nose at the Trump administration on the tariff issue considering how aggressive he is on the issue."