Trump’s Tariffs Could Weaken the GOP’s Grip on Congress

Supporters of Donald Trump don’t come much stronger than Republican Representative Steve King of Iowa and his constituents in the sprawling 4th Congressional District. Stretching across the northwest quarter of the state, the rural district lies in the heart of farm country and went for Trump by 27 points. “We’re the No. 1 agriculture-producing congres­sional district in all of America,” says King, “the flagship for districts across the country.”

Farm districts such as King’s put Trump in the White House and are the backbone of the GOP majorities in Congress. They’re also uniquely positioned to suffer from a trade war with China. In early April, responding to Trump’s proposed $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, China announced or implemented retaliatory levies on roughly $50 billion in U.S. exports, including wheat, corn, cotton, sorghum, tobacco, and soybeans—a direct strike at the deep-red, Trump-friendly heartland.