Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) remains a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump — but when it comes to the former president’s sweeping new tariffs, even Cruz is sounding the alarm.
Speaking with former Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Thursday, Cruz cautiously defended the strategy as a potential negotiation tactic but made it clear he does not support long-term tariff hikes.
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“Look, I think it is a mistake to assume that we will have high tariffs in perpetuity,” Cruz said. “I don’t think that would be good economic policy. I am not a fan of tariffs.”
His comments came in the wake of Trump’s announcement of a baseline 10% tariff on most imports, with higher rates — potentially up to 50% — for countries deemed “uncooperative.” The move, celebrated by Trump as “Liberation Day,” sent shockwaves through global markets and stoked fears of a looming recession.
Cruz, who in February publicly hoped the tariffs wouldn’t go into effect at all, reiterated his concerns Thursday, warning the consequences could be severe for both the economy and American families.
“Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and I’m not a fan of jacking up taxes on American consumers,” he emphasized. “My hope is these tariffs are short-lived and they serve as leverage to lower tariffs across the globe.”
Cruz did suggest there could be an upside if the tariffs lead to reduced trade barriers worldwide. “If the result of yesterday’s announcement is a lot of our trading partners across the globe dramatically reduce the tariffs they charge on U.S. goods and services… that would be a great outcome,” he said. “If the result is our trading partners jack up their tariffs and we have high tariffs everywhere, I think that is a bad outcome for America.”
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Republican lawmakers are walking a tightrope — balancing loyalty to Trump with concerns from constituents, especially in agricultural and manufacturing-heavy districts likely to suffer under retaliatory trade measures.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), whose state is a major food exporter, introduced legislation this week to rein in Trump’s tariff powers. The move signals a growing rift within the GOP as lawmakers brace for potential fallout. As Cruz put it, “Time is going to tell in the next month or two or three what happens.”
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