Some key farm-state lawmakers criticized President Trump’s proposed $12 billion bailout plan Tuesday for farmers hurt by his tariff wars.
Sen. Ben Sasse, Nebraska Republican, called the bailout plan a bad move.
“This trade war is cutting the legs out from under farmers, and White House’s ’plan’ is to spend $12 billion on gold crutches,” Mr. Sasse said. “America’s farmers don’t want to be paid to lose — they want to win by feeding the world. This administration’s tariffs and bailouts aren’t going to make America great again, they’re just going to make it 1929 again.”
The nonprofit group Farmers for Free Trade said farmers “need contracts, not compensation, so they can create stability and plan for the future.”
“This proposed action would only be a short-term attempt at masking the long-term damage caused by tariffs,” the group said.
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci also weighed in against the move.
”Targeted bailouts are anti-capitalist and won’t begin to cover damages from trade war,” Mr. Scaramucci tweeted. “If we continue down this road, long-term costs to American industry will be incalculable. Now is time to compromise.”
The president appealed for patience on his trade policies at the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
“We have to stick it out,” Mr. Trump said of his tariff feuds. “We’re making tremendous progress. And the farmers will be the biggest beneficiary. Watch. Just be a little patient.”
He said trading partners such as China and the European Union have deliberately targeted the U.S. agricultural industry with retaliatory tariffs because they know it’s the heart of Mr. Trump’s political base.
“They’re all aiming at anybody that likes me,” he said. “They have the biggest, best, strongest lobbyists.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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