A prominent Republican Trump critic says he thinks Congress made a “mistake” in giving tariff authority to the president, and wants to see the Article I branch take it back.
Republican Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE) joined CNN on Thursday and proposed that Congress should reclaim its sole authority over U.S. tariff policy, which he argued Congress mistakenly ceded to the president. U.S. politics and the economy have been rocked in recent weeks by President Donald Trump’s tariff whiplash, announcing and then unannouncing tariffs on key allies like Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
“What could Republicans, congressman, the Republicans in Congress specifically be doing more to push the President to try to de-escalate his trade war? What leverage do you have?” asked anchor Wolf Blitzer.
“In Article 1 in the Constitution, really, tariffs should be a Congressional-initiated action. So this should come from Congress. However, I think we made a mistake. In the past, we passed legislation that gave the president some temporary tariff authorities. And I think that we should look back and maybe restore the power back to Congress,” Bacon replied, adding:
And take away the authorizations that we’ve allowed the presidents, not just President Trump, but President Biden and President Obama before him. This power should reside in the House and the Senate. We have the power of the purse, and so I think we should restore these authorities back to the House.
“That’s an interesting proposal. Let’s see if that happens. Let me quickly also get your thoughts, Congressman, on that Signal group chat scandal that’s ongoing. You’ve called on the White House to, quote, ‘Own up to the mistake.’ But now President Trump is calling the entire situation a witch hunt,” Blitzer replied, pivoting to Signalgate.
“Do you have any confidence in the Trump administration to hold people accountable for this stunning intelligence breach?” Blitzer asked.
“You know, this was a great mission, a great operation, and unfortunately, the way the White House has handled this hurt, it’s undermined what should be a successful bragging right here. It was great operation against the Houthis. Everybody that reads the messages knows that it was inappropriate for the Secretary of Defense to put when we’re going to bomb Yemen, when the aircraft are taken off, one of the impacts are going to be. That stuff was… put out two hours before the mission on an unclassified network,” replied Bacon.
Watch:
In 1962, Congress passed the Trade Expansion Act, which gave the president sole power to decrease tariffs that were under 5%, and Section 232 of the legislation gave the president the power to control imports that could harm national security.
On Wednesday, President Trump said he will be issuing a 25% tariff on all imported automobiles, claiming that the tariffs will increase the number of auto plants as well as workers in the U.S.
In a post on X, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday that Trump’s “25 per cent tariffs on cars and light trucks will do nothing more than increase costs for hard-working American families,” and that the Trump tariffs are “putting American jobs at risk.”
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Trade is the Executive branches bailiwick; not the legislative branch. Always has been. The Trade Expansion Act of 1962 gave the President the authority to adjust tariffs based on threats to national security under section 232. This President is the right President to have control of tariffs. It has and is changing bad behavior with some countries that have taken advantage of us for decades without reprisal. With the money being spent by congress over the last 30-40 years as if it is water, it is important that we do not let other countries take advantage of us. From what was found on USAID, it is quite clear that our Nation has taken a back seat to the rest of the world as far as finances are concerned. This cannot continue.
Bacon is obviously a RINO who puts America last.
We should let Trump have “Free Reign” to work “the art of the deal”.
He’s from NE enough said
Congress rino wants to take powers from president? What an utter joke. This country would sink fast if rinos were in control. Can someone fire that ASS? Like the state he supposedly represents! NE, step up, a recall recalls them fast!
We the people voted in DJT for president and yet so many in Congress want to stop what Trump is doing and go against the majority of citizens who want him to correct what the same people trying to stop him couldn’t do in the last 50 plus years. I want them to know it is time for them to sit down and shut up so that new policies can have a chance to work. After all our, country has been the piggy bank of the world and we the people have suffered long enough. If you can’t take the heat and changes we want, then resign and go home.
Is this guy as stupid as he sounds? There is no reason to continue giving these countries that are parasites living off tax dollars Why should we keep paying because of big business Who is this guy representing Warren Buffet He needs to get his head out of his ass or get to hell out of congress No piece of shit is better than a piece of shit like RINO Bacon Lets find out who’s bacon he is trying to save We are talking about the entire country and not a few corn fed big money people in Nebraska people