Senate GOP leaders won't try to block Trump's tariffs
by BURGESS EVERETT 03/12/2018 07:38 PM EDT
Republicans have been freaking out about President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs all month. But don’t expect them to do anything about it just yet.
GOP leaders are shying away from a direct confrontation with Trump over trade, and signaled Monday that they won’t try to pass legislation to override a president of their own party. They are instead hoping they can get the president to water down the tariffs as much as they can. Ultimately, they’re loath to risk a brutal showdown, even over an issue that’s provoked more GOP outrage toward Trump than any other one of his policies or controversies.
So even though several senators are introducing proposals to stop Trump’s 25 percent tariff on imported steel and 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum, key Republicans are in no mood for a high-profile fight with Trump.
“That’s clearly a long shot. But we’re trying as best we can to persuade folks in the administration to scale this back to make it less harmful,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 3 GOP senator. “I don’t think we can rely on Democrats. And moving something across the floor takes 60. And then you’d have to override a veto.”
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https://www.politico.com/trump-tariffs-senate-republicans
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