Hill Republicans worry about Trump’s tariffs and nudge him to negotiate

Republican lawmakers are pressing the Trump administration to strike deals to walk back tariffs and are asking the White House for more details on strategy — even as they remain hesitant to criticize the president’s sweeping changes, which have sparked economic turmoil.

Republicans on Capitol Hill remain largely in lockstep with President Donald Trump, holding back on legislation that could give Congress back its once-exclusive authority to issue tariffs. But many worry about paying a political price if the economy falters and are holding out hope that the tariffs are a temporary negotiating tactic.

Their unease, which extends from moderate swing votes to staunch Trump allies, was especially clear Tuesday as senators questioned the president’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, in a Finance Committee hearing. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told The Washington Post afterward that he was not reassured by Greer’s testimony and doesn’t think many Republicans were.

“I don’t quite understand the strategy,” Johnson said, “and I’m not sure anybody else does.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (North Carolina), another battleground-state Republican who is up for reelection next year, said in the hearing that he’s “skeptical” of the Trump administration’s approach and wondered how “the people in the trailer park that I grew up in who are going to bear the brunt” of the near-term fallout will feel in early 2026.

His question for Greer was blunt: “Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?”

Tillis was already thinking about the political environment for Republicans next year and told Greer that he hopes that voters who backed him and Trump previously will vote for him again.

Later, however, Tillis sought to clarify his comments in a speech from the Senate floor, saying that he is not passing judgment on the administration’s policies and that the “whose throat” question was asked “in jest.”

Other Republicans also used the hearing to communicate their reservations — however gently. Greer said the administration is open to negotiating with other countries but declined to put a timeline on those talks and said: “Our large and persistent trade deficit has been over 30 years in the making, and it will not be resolved overnight.”

Greer also said Trump has “been clear” with him and others that he does not intend to give exemptions to his tariffs — prompting Johnson to say he was “disappointed.”

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) recounted an Oklahoma company’s struggle to respond to new tariffs on Vietnam and said he doubts the United States will ever achieve equal trade with that country.

“I hope we can avoid an all-out trade war,” said Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). “A trade war will mean higher prices for the American consumer.” Daines said he is “worried” about resulting inflation.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who pressed Greer about the administration’s ultimate goals, has introduced a bipartisan bill that would require Congress to approve any tariffs within 60 days of their proposal by the president.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a moderate hailing from a swing district, and Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) joined Democrats to introduce similar legislation this week in the House. “I think it’s clear under the Constitution that the authority with respect to tariffs lies with Congress,” Hurd told The Post. “I campaigned on supporting the Constitution.”

But the White House says Trump will veto Grassley’s bill, and most Republicans in Congress are loath to cross the president. Johnson said Tuesday that he does not think Congress has veto-proof majorities to counter Trump’s tariff policies.

Asked about Congress voting to restrain the president’s tariff authority, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that it’s not the House’s “decision to make” but that the chamber is always open to finding solutions — with Trump’s input.

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who chairs the House GOP’s campaign arm, dismissed the proposal to restrict Trump’s tariff powers: “That doesn’t have the votes in the House. That’s not going to happen.”

And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), one of the most vocal Republican critics of Trump’s tariffs, said he doubted Johnson or Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) would take up the bill.

“I think you’ve got to give him room to do what they need to do,” Thune told reporters on Tuesday. He said he hopes the president’s tariffs are successful and are lifted after Trump works out deals with various countries.

Trump and his lieutenants have sent mixed signals about their openness to negotiations and how much of the tariffs will remain in place long term. Republican lawmakers — and the stock market — have responded positively to even small signs of Trump’s interest in talks.

“Right now, we’re seeing all these countries come forward, and that’s a good sign. I think that’s what the market’s seeing,” said Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who warned that lawmakers shouldn’t be reacting emotionally to the markets.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), who represents the state at-large, says that some of his constituents are concerned by the tariffs, “but there are also a big group of people who want to give the president a little deference and some time to execute this plan.”

“He campaigned on this,” he added.

Johnson, the House speaker, returned to Capitol Hill this week asking lawmakers and voters concerned about the effects of Trump’s tariffs to exercise “patience.”

“Let’s hold tight and have patience. The president is engaging in a strategy. Right now, he’s negotiating with 60 different countries on better trade agreements … and I think you have to have a little patience. This strategy has only been in effect for about a week,” Johnson told reporters.

House Republicans have largely echoed that message — at least publicly. Hudson, the chair of the House GOP campaign arm, said he’s telling incumbents and candidates to “trust the president” and echo his message of “unfairness” by other countries taxing the U.S. for goods.

Asked how the economy could fair and whether it could negatively affect Republicans ahead of the midterms, Hudson said: “I think we got plenty of time between now and then.”

Speaker Johnson said that the White House is engaging “directly” with worried lawmakers and that Trump has been “communicating with us so that we have the appropriate answers for our constituents.”

Engagement from the White House will be critical this week as House Republicans try to pass the amended Senate budget resolution. Market turmoil has made some lawmakers nervous about how to craft the bill without further disrupting constituents’ livelihoods.

Johnson has consistently told lawmakers this week that they should trust the president on tariffs and that voting for the Senate budget resolution is necessary to “save” the economy.