Republicans from farm states have criticized 2024 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposal earlier this week to place new tariffs on Chinese goods as part of an overhaul of the U.S. trading relationship, Politico reported on Wednesday.
While there is general agreement within the GOP on taking a tough line against Beijing, many rural Republicans, a crucial voting bloc in the primary, remember how China targeted rural America during Trump's last trade war. They are fearful that Beijing would inflict new damage on the U.S. agricultural economy, which relies on exports to China, its largest market.
North Dakota GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong said "there are serious trade disparities that should rightfully be raised, but we should be honest about the potential economic impact to rural America."
Another farm state Republican lawmaker was blunter, saying the former president's trade proposal was "suicide" for rural communities.
And Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Trump ally, while conceding that China is the U.S's biggest adversary, warned that "we've got to be careful about tariffs on farmers."
Trump's campaign did not check with some of the major agricultural groups before announcing his new trade plans, Politico reported.
However, some GOP farm state lawmakers praised parts of the former president's plans.
But other Republicans said that while they have not yet seen or studied Trump's proposal, they are generally not in favor of placing new tariffs on China, given the likely backlash on American farm exports.
Politico reported Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., a pro-Trump congressman, said "I like free trade. I think that's what our country is built upon and the sooner we can get back to that, I think it's going to help our farmers and ranchers."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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