Can the GOP Survive a Trade War?

On July 6, Donald Trump carried out his vow to slap tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods, and China immediately reciprocated by penalizing U.S. imports, from soybeans to Teslas. The European Union, Canada, and Mexico also imposed retaliatory levies in response to Trump’s provocations. Four days later, he escalated the feud, threatening tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese products, including auto parts, refrigerators, and electronics, as well as baseball gloves and handbags. The global trade war is on.

Trump says trade wars are “easy to win.” Economists think differently, although most expect the U.S. to emerge without serious damage. A bigger question is: Will Republicans? That will depend on the scale of the conflict and the damage it causes U.S. companies and workers. Early signs are ominous. Trump alarmed GOP lawmakers on July 5 by threatening to impose tariffs on all $500 billion of Chinese goods imported to the U.S. “Members hate what the president is doing,” says a former Republican leadership aide. “None of them thinks this is a good idea.”