Trump forces GOP to swallow protectionist tariffs

Senate Republicans doubted President Trump would follow through on tariffs. Now they're having to swallow them whole.Why it matters: Trump has yoked his party, the economy and himself to a protectionist trade policy.Skeptical Republicans are willing to give Trump some time to prove that across-the-board tariffs can lead to an American manufacturing renaissance — but not too much time.Senate GOP leader John Thune, from export-heavy South Dakota, said: "I do appreciate the president's focus on making sure that we're getting better deals and giving businesses an incentive to do business here."Zoom in: GOP senators bargained with him on tariffs, but Wednesday was about acceptance.Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.): "In the long run, I think it will work. But as I've also said, in the long run, we're all dead. The short run matters too."Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.): "Hopefully the short-term disruption is truly short term, like less than a year, and the long-term benefits are real and lasting."Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.): "I think it's kind of a high-risk bet he's making on the economy. I think the stock market thing is somewhat high risk. He may be right."Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): "I'll probably start getting calls from constituents tomorrow. I've already gotten some outbound communications tonight," he told Axios on Wednesday night.Between the lines: During the campaign last summer, Republicans argued Trump wasn't all that serious about across-the-board tariffs.Once he was elected, they insisted Trump just liked them as a negotiating tactic.In August, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told us: "I don't know if across-the-board truly means across-the-board."On Wednesday, she told us: "I think he came up with a reasonable compromise between across-the-board, using the 10% number, but identifying certain trade partners where the tables are really tipped against the U.S."The other side: Four GOP senators broke with Trump and voted for a symbolic resolution to unwind his 25% tariff on Canadian imports.House Democrats plan to attempt to force a vote on the resolution, Axios reported Wednesday.

Senate Republicans doubted President Trump would follow through on tariffs. Now they're having to swallow them whole.Why it matters: Trump has yoked his party, the economy and himself to a protectionist trade policy.

Skeptical Republicans are willing to give Trump some time to prove that across-the-board tariffs can lead to an American manufacturing renaissance — but not too much time.Senate GOP leader John Thune, from export-heavy South Dakota, said: "I do appreciate the president's focus on making sure that we're getting better deals and giving businesses an incentive to do business here."Zoom in: GOP senators bargained with him on tariffs, but Wednesday was about acceptance.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.): "In the long run, I think it will work.

But as I've also said, in the long run, we're all dead. The short run matters too."Sen.

John Hoeven (R-N.D.): "Hopefully the short-term disruption is truly short term, like less than a year, and the long-term benefits are real and lasting.

"Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.): "I think it's kind of a high-risk bet he's making on the economy.

I think the stock market thing is somewhat high risk. He may be right."Sen.

Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): "I'll probably start getting calls from constituents tomorrow.

I've already gotten some outbound communications tonight," he told Axios on Wednesday night.Between the lines: During the campaign last summer, Republicans argued Trump wasn't all that serious about across-the-board tariffs.Once he was elected, they insisted Trump just liked them as a negotiating tactic.

In August, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told us: "I don't know if across-the-board truly means across-the-board.

"On Wednesday, she told us: "I think he came up with a reasonable compromise between across-the-board, using the 10% number, but identifying certain trade partners where the tables are really tipped against the U.S."The other side: Four GOP senators broke with Trump and voted for a symbolic resolution to unwind his 25% tariff on Canadian imports.

House Democrats plan to attempt to force a vote on the resolution, Axios reported Wednesday..