Republicans are now scrambling to manage the potential fallout over President Trump’s tariffs, fearing that they could hurt consumers. As the president moves forward with plans to impose tariffs on imports from countries like China, Canada, and Mexico, GOP lawmakers are speaking out about the potential negative effects on American shoppers.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) admitted on Thursday that he can’t guarantee the tariffs won’t lead to higher prices for consumers, but he defended Trump’s approach, saying it was an effort to boost the economy.
Davidson, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, appeared on “CNN News Central,” where host Brianna Keilar pressed him to reassure Ohio voters that the tariffs wouldn’t result in price hikes.
“Well, I can’t guarantee that,” Davidson said. “But I know that’s not the intent, and I believe the policies have a better chance to work than ignoring what China is doing and continuing to trade with them.”
“That hasn’t worked. So why wouldn’t we try something different?” he added.
Trump’s recent announcement that the U.S. will impose tariffs on countries that tax American goods adds to his previous decision to apply a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum.
Davidson’s remarks came just days after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) raised concerns about the president’s tariff strategy. In an op-ed for The Courier Journal, McConnell warned that Trump’s aggressive tariff proposals could create lasting problems for American industries and workers.
“While the administration walked back plans to levy 25% duties on imports from Mexico and Canada — paused now for 30 days as both nations negotiate border security deals — the president’s aggressive proposals leave big, lingering concerns for American industry and workers,” McConnell wrote. “No matter our best intentions, tariffs are bad policy,” he added.
Trump has long argued that tariffs are necessary to address trade imbalances, but critics point out that such measures often lead to higher prices for consumers as businesses pass on the added costs.
“I think what’s going to go up is jobs are going to go up, and prices could go up somewhat short-term, but prices will also go down,” Trump said, referring to the 25 percent tax on imported metals. “Long term, it’s going to make our country a fortune.”
Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation (NRF) has warned that higher prices will soon hit consumers as Trump presses forward with reciprocal tariffs on foreign trading partners.
“While we support the president’s efforts to reduce trade barriers and imbalances, this scale of undertaking is massive and will be extremely disruptive to our supply chains,” said David French, NRF’s executive vice president of government relations.
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has also cautioned that once the tariffs go into effect, possibly as soon as April 2, it could hurt Americans’ ability to afford foreign goods, leading to more pressure on the economy and consumers’ wallets.
