President Trump’s whipsawing tariff policy has prompted bipartisan alarm on Capitol Hill, where Democrats are outraged and Republicans are caught between their deep opposition to tariffs and fear of criticizing Mr. Trump.
The president’s abrupt announcement on Wednesday that he would halt most of his reciprocal tariffs for 90 days allayed the immediate concerns of some G.O.P. lawmakers, many of whom rushed to praise Mr. Trump for what they characterized as deal-making mastery.
Behind those statements was a deep well of nervousness among Republican lawmakers who are hearing angst from their constituents and donors about the impact of Mr. Trump’s trade moves on the financial markets and the economy.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has been among the most outspoken Republican critics of Mr. Trump’s tariffs, said he hoped the turnabout was a sign that someone was “talking some sense into the policy and being less extreme.”
“He added that tariffs are perceived by millions of people as being bad for the economy, so I hope there’s a lesson learned.”
Some Republican leaders have rushed to stymie measures that would end Mr. Trump’s tariffs, and insulate themselves from having to vote on the issue.
Senator James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, who has opposed tariffs in the past and voted in favor of giving Congress more authority over tariffs during Mr. Trump’s first term, chided Jamieson Greer for failing to outline a clear strategy for Mr. Trump’s levies, including how long they would remain in place.
Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, said that a tariff is a tax, and it is a tax principally on American consumers.
A group of Republican senators vented their concerns about the tariffs in an interview on Sean Hannity’s program on Fox News.
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