President Trump’s decision to slap tariffs on Mexico has angered key parts of his coalition of supporters in Washington, who say what he’s doing is not only stretching the law, but is bad policy to boot.
From top Republican senators to business and conservative pressure groups, the denunciations flowed quickly on Thursday night and Friday morning, after the president issued a lengthy statement explaining his plan.
The first 5% tariff will hit on June 10, covering every import from Mexico. The rate will ratchet up to 10% in July and grow 5% more each month until it reaches 25%, the president said.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate and chairman of the Finance Committee, was the first major figure to denounce the move, saying it was a “misuse” of the president’s powers.
Fellow Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst also signaled opposition, saying slapping new tariffs at a time when the U.S. is trying to win approval of a trade deal “isn’t the right path forward.”
And Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican whose state has been among the hardest hit by the border crisis, said something needs to be done, but the tariffs aren’t the answer.
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“While I support the President’s intention of stopping unchecked illegal immigration, I do not support these types of tariffs, which will harm our economy and be passed onto Arizona small businesses and families,” she said.
She said Mexico does need to do more, but “Congress must also do their job” by passing a bill to shut down the weak U.S. policies that invite more than 4,000 illegal immigrants a day to jump the border.
Business groups ranging from the National Association of Manufacturers to the Business Roundtable also said the tariffs would punish Americans by raising prices on the goods they buy, while undermining the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement.
The National Taxpayers Union, often a backer of Mr. Trump’s fiscal moves, was perhaps the harshest of all.
Brian Riley, director of NTU’s free trade initiative, called the tariffs “an outrageous abuse of authority.”
He demanded Congress step in to curtail the president.
“It provides yet another reminder that Congress needs to rein in the ability of presidents to increase taxes without congressional approval,” Mr. Riley said.
Amid the overwhelming opposition, it was hard to spot any support for the president’s move.
Mr. Trump, in a lengthy written statement Thursday, expressed clear frustration with Mexico, saying America’s southern neighbor has abused U.S. goodwill too long, and he is determined to create consequences.
On Friday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mexico can easily head off the tariffs.
“We’ve been giving them advanced warning for months,” she told reporters.
She also urged Congress to move forward on the USMCA, saying lawmakers should treat it separately from immigration and the tariff fight.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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