'We’ve made a mistake': Trump’s trade war sends GOP into frenzy
WASHINGTON — Fear, trepidation and loathing are now, seemingly, America’s top exports. Just ask Senate Republicans.
A day after President Donald Trump slapped a 10% tariff on most every U.S. import from the Rose Garden, some in the GOP are freaking out.
“I can't stand talking to more than one person,” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) scolded a congressional reporter Thursday afternoon before answering Raw Story’s tariff question while waiting for a Capitol underground tram to arrive. “I would have expected more targeted tariffs to meet the needs of where countries are taking advantage of us, and perhaps a more modest approach in the amounts.”
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The tariffs have some Senate Republicans publicly complaining. That’s new.
While a mere four Senate Republicans voted against Trump’s Canadian tariffs Wednesday eve, that measure was largely symbolic. On paper, at least.
In reality, there’s a crack in the facade. And some Senior Republicans — a number that will grow if the markets keep nose-diving and U.S. allies keep fuming — have had enough already and are vocally opposing Trump’s tariffs.
"We've conveyed so much power to the executive branch"
Thursday, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) dropped the Trade Review Act of 2025.
It claws back power — transferring some of Trump’s current trade authorities back to the legislative branch — to where the nation’s founders wanted it, with Congress. Senate Republicans are now openly discussing it.
“I think there's something to be said for having congressional review,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) told Raw Story. “We've conveyed so much power to the executive branch — and by ‘we,’ I mean Democrats and Republicans over the last 70 years — I would answer ‘yes,’ more broadly to that question. Shame on, on the congresses that did that.”
Tillis isn’t alone. Other senior Republicans are also only speaking about this current Trump administration’s policies in historical abstracts.
“We’ve made a mistake and delegated a lot of power to the executive branch, but that’s not just a feature of this administration,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters as he was hopping an elevator up to the Senate floor Thursday. “I think that's a very long-standing issue.”
“Does that matter?” a reporter asked.
“Is there anything Congress can do on tariffs?” Raw Story asked.
The elevator doors closed.
“Tariffs are a tax”
Historically, Republicans are anti-tariffs. But what’s economic theory in Trump’s Washington?
Some Republican senators are holding their ground and urging their House counterparts to as well.
“Tariffs are a tax, they should never be instituted by one person, they should be instituted by Congress,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told reporters at the Capitol Thursday.
On this, Democrats found common ground.
“Families are going to get pounded,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) told Raw Story. “This drives home how insensitive this administration is to cost living issues because this is going to contribute to inflation.”
Even though Paul was one of a mere four Republican senators to support Sen. Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) measure to end tariffs on Canada this week, the more libertarian-leaning senator said he’s advocating for the House to pass the measure.
And if House Speaker Mike Johnson won’t bring Kaine’s measure for a vote, Paul said he’s going to try and convince more than half of the U.S. House of Representatives to bypass Johnson altogether – a so-called ‘discharge petition’ forces the speaker’s hand.
“The House leadership’s trying to block this vote over there — it’s supposed to be an expedited vote,” Paul said. “We're going to try to see if we can at least get a discharge petition.”
“Have you talked to any allies over there?” Raw Story asked.
“We’re in the process,” Paul said.
“Theoretically…”
While there’s pushback on the Trump agenda for the first time, Republicans aren’t revolting.
If anything, they seem to be recalibrating — just trying to get the good ol’ GOP orthodoxy of old through to Trump.
“Is there anything Congress can do on tariffs?” Raw Story asked.
“Theoretically, but, at this point, nothing’s gonna happen,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told Raw Story.
“Just because your party's in line with the administration?”
“We’ll see how this plays out,” Johnson said.
“Are you nervous, though, looking at our allies reacting?” Raw Story pressed.
“I don't really have anything else to do other than to listen to my constituents and convey what their experience is and what consequences are on them,” Sen. Johnson of Wisconsin said.
“I feel great. I’m excited.”
Trump has allies, as always.
“I feel great. I’m excited,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) told Raw Story Thursday. “This is great.”
“What do you make of our allies freaking out,” Raw Story pressed. “The market’s kind of freaking out?”
“Reduce your stupid trade barriers,” Scott said. “Don't have tariffs. Why is it fair that we allow you to come into our market and then you make it difficult for us to come into yours? How is that fair to an American worker?”
“Do you think this is going to open up more?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Scott said.
Sheila Fambro, Viles Dorsainvil and Denise Williams at the Haitian Community Help and Support Center. (Photo by Alexandria Jacobson/Raw Story)
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