Even Republicans Fear 'Complete Election Defeat'... Chaos Ensues Due to Trump's Rampage

'Trump Party' Republican Micro Cracks

As U.S. President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs, the stock market plummeted and inflation concerns heightened, voices of concern are emerging even within the Republican Party, which has supported Trump so far. This is due to the judgment that economic issues could hinder the Republican Party in next November's midterm elections.

The Hill, a U.S. congressional specialist media outlet, reported on the 6th (local time) that "some Republican lawmakers in swing states are already under pressure regarding the tariff issue."

Republican Representative Jen Kiggans, whose district includes a competitive area in Virginia, recently responded to voters' questions about her stance on 'tariff policies causing inflation' during a phone town hall event, saying, "I know there are concerns and anxieties. However, we need to think about the role of tariffs and why the president imposed them," and added, "Please be patient and remember the ultimate goal."

Representative Don Bacon, representing the Nebraska area, said, "The people of Nebraska want free trade agreements, not trade disputes."

Criticism of President Trump's tariff policy is also emerging from Senate Republicans.

Ted Cruz, a pro-Trump senator (Republican, Texas), said on his podcast on the 5th, "If every country on earth imposes retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. and President Trump's reciprocal tariffs remain, terrible results will ensue," adding, "If the U.S. experiences a recession and the people suffer greatly, voters will punish the ruling party."

Senator Jerry Moran (Kansas) revealed that a significant number of his constituents are concerned that President Trump's tariff policy is overly aggressive.

The reason for the concern within the Republican Party about reciprocal tariffs and other Trump tariffs is that public sentiment is observed to be shifting due to President Trump's aggressive economic measures.

In an AP poll released late last month before the announcement of reciprocal tariffs, President Trump's approval rating in the economic sector was only 40%.

A Republican strategist told The Hill, "If this issue persists for too long and becomes ingrained in people's minds, even if the situation eases and improves later, the Republican Party will be at risk," adding, "If there is short-term pain or inflation during next year's midterm elections, the Republican Party will face complete defeat."

The Washington Post (WP) analyzed, "Signs of some resistance or small opposition to tariffs are appearing among Republican lawmakers. This could grow further in the future," adding, "The success or failure of the Republican Party is fundamentally intertwined with tariffs and the economic situation."

Hyun Shin, Hankyung.com reporter yonghyun@hankyung.com