President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted some Republican members of Congress for trying to limit his presidential powers on instituting tariffs so that Congress could retake control.
Trump delivered a speech to the National Republican Congressional Committee, calling out ‘rebel’ Republicans while speaking about his trade policies.
‘And then I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,’ Trump said.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is leading a bipartisan bill to block Trump from instituting tariffs and retake that power for Congress. Bacon told reporters earlier on Tuesday that he didn’t like ‘the thought of waging a trade war with the entire world.’
In the Senate, a bipartisan group led by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is also introducing a resolution to repeal Trump’s global tariffs.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have already introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the president to notify Congress about any new tariffs within 48 hours of imposition and require Congress to approve new tariffs within 60 days or allow them to expire.
Trump chewed out the Republicans over the proposed bills.
‘I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen,’ Trump said before launching into an impression of a lawmaker. ”Sir, I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh, that’s what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.’
Trump said that should Congress take over tariff negotiations, China would be ‘the happiest people in the world.’
‘They wouldn’t be paying 104%,’ Trump said of China. ‘I’d say they’d be paying no percent — we’d be paying them 104%.’
Trump said that even the talk around Capitol Hill about limiting his tariff powers ‘hurts your negotiation,’ adding, ‘And then the fake news wants to build it up, and it has no chance anyway.’
‘We have to remain united as I defend workers from unfair trade,’ Trump said.
