PNN – A large group of Republicans in the US Senate expressed concern about the consequences of Donald Trump’s imposition of extensive tariffs on various countries and the possibility of a recession in the United States.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network from the Associated Press, senators from Trump’s party are concerned about this and many other issues with the new administration in the White House due to the economic impact of his sweeping tariffs, which took effect last Wednesday.
The news agency wrote: Republican skepticism about Trump’s policies was unusually high at the Senate hearing and in their interviews with reporters this week. This concern has not been resolved, especially despite the announcement by Republican senators that they have conveyed their concerns to Trump’s aides and advisors, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.
Explaining the reasons for this concern, the lawmakers stated: The stock market has been experiencing an unprecedented decline for days, and economists have warned of a recession if the current situation continues.
Republican Senator Tom Tillis, while pressing Greer for an answer, said that as Trump’s trade aide, he should be held accountable in the event of a recession: If this (tariff situation) is proven to be wrong, whose collar should I hold?
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The Associated Press noted that Tillis, representing North Carolina, which has attracted thousands of foreign companies to invest in the region’s manufacturing industries, is particularly concerned about the imposition of heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from China, on which American manufacturers depend.
Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford also told reporters: There’s a company in his state that has spent “millions of dollars” moving its parts production from China to Vietnam. But now that Vietnam faces steep tariffs, the business can’t negotiate prices with retailers.
Montana Republican Senator Steve Dines also said in a Senate hearing that he was encouraged by the news of the trade talks and expressed hope that tariffs would be a means, not an end.
He added to Greer: Who pays for these high tariffs? The consumer. I worry about the inflationary impact of tariffs. I worry that if there is a trade war, the market will be closed to American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers.
Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana also said that in calls from the business community, he had failed to provide any clear economic outlook for the region’s businesses. Kennedy, a Trump supporter, went on to say that communications from Trump aides were often contradictory.
Senator Chuck Grassley, a prominent figure in the Republican Party, has introduced a bipartisan bill to give Congress the power to review and approve new tariffs. While opposing the tariffs, he told reporters that a group of senators from his party support the bill. If the bill becomes law, it would allow Congress to take back some of its constitutional authority over tariff policy, which has been almost entirely vested in the president in recent decades.
However, the White House has already announced that Trump will veto the bill, and Senate Majority Leader John Tohn and House Speaker Mike Johnson have also said they are not interested in bringing it up for a vote.