Republicans Write Off — And Praise — Trump’s Tariffs as Part of His Mandate

GOP lawmakers insist voters are willing to deal with higher prices if it means long-term success.

Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs

A vast trade war with the world will complicate supply chains and may drive up the prices of many consumer goods. Mark Schiefelbein/AP

As President Donald Trump rolled out new, expansive tariffs on Wednesday, most Republican lawmakers were publicly supportive of the president and argued he was simply doing what people elected him to do.

“He had a mandate in the election to do that,” Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who has argued against tariffs in the past, told NOTUS of the new tariffs. “I hope he’s successful in getting tariffs down around the world.”

A vast trade war with the world will complicate supply chains and may drive up the prices of many consumer goods. It could even plunge the economy into a recession. But as stock futures fell before Trump’s “declaration of economic independence” — and again rapidly following it — Republicans praised the effort.