Trump's abuse of tariffs unsettles 'staunch allies, die-hard fans'

On April 9, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause for countries hit by higher U.S. tariffs.

In a dramatic change of policy, just hours after levies against roughly 60 of U.S. trading partners kicked in, Trump said he was authorizing a universal "lowered reciprocal tariff of 10 percent" as negotiations continued, adding that the pulling back of tariffs is because people were "yippy and afraid" due to the stock market declines.

The market crash has unsettled Trump's staunch allies on the Wall Street, Silicon Valley billionaires like Elon Musk, congressional Republicans and even die-hard MAGA fans.

Republicans' efforts to stop Trump's tariffs

Trump's tariff policy had already drawn criticism from several Republican members of the Congress.

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz told Fox News in an interview that tariffs are essentially a tax on consumers and he does not support significantly raising taxes on American consumers.

On his podcast, Cruz said if the government could use this policy as leverage to quickly get other countries to lower their tariffs, it would be a win. However, if implemented for the long term, it could drive up inflation, hurt job growth, and even potentially lead to a recession in the U.S. economy.

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul also criticized Trump in a recent Senate speech, opposing the justification of tariffs under the pretext of a "national emergency" caused by trade deficits.

In early April, four Republican U.S. senators voted with the Democrats in an effort to block Trump's tariffs against Canada. In a rare display of opposition to Trump, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul and Susan Collins helped to vote through a resolution 51 to 48 to end Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports.

Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell have introduced a bill that would require the Congress to sign off on new tariffs within 60 days of their imposition or automatically block their enforcement, which has gained the support of seven Republican senators.

However, the White House has voiced its strong opposition to the bill, saying that Trump were to veto it.

Meanwhile, Trump's tariff policy has drawn dissatisfaction from MAGA support base.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said on his podcast that the idea that tariffs are good and make the American people rich is "really problematic."

"It's untrue. The idea that it is going to result in massive re-shoring of manufacturing is also untrue," he said. 

Top blogger Joe Rogan, who supported Trump in the 2024 elections, said Trump's feud with Canada was "stupid."

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in a recent interview with The Hill that the Trump administration's aggressive use of tariffs "poses a potential risk" for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.

Cruz has also warned that his fellow Republicans risk a "bloodbath" in the midterm elections if Trump's tariffs cause a recession.

(With input from agencies)