Republicans race to heap praise on Trump's tariffs as economy spirals
Congressional Cowards is a weekly series highlighting the worst Donald Trump defenders on Capitol Hill, who refuse to criticize him—no matter how disgraceful or lawless his actions.
Republicans celebrated on Wednesday after President Donald Trump's half-baked "pause" on his "Liberation Day" tariffs led the stock market to rise, calling Trump a “genius” and his trade war debacle the “art of the deal.”
But those same Republicans had egg on their faces not even a day later, when the market once again plunged after investors realized that Trump's 90-day "pause" wasn't a pause at all, but rather a 10% tariff on nearly every country, as well as an insane 145% tariff on China.
"I think America needs to recognize we're in a remarkable moment. We have an actual genius of an entrepreneur and one that loves our country," GOP Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah wrote on X on Wednesday.
Owens did not amend his comment when the market tumbled not even 24 hours later, reflecting Trump’s chaotic tariff policy that amounts to a $4,000 tax hike on every U.S. household.
Not to be upstaged by Owens, GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas—who once ridiculously claimed that Trump was the picture of health—posted on X that Trump is the “UNDISPUTED MASTER of the art of the deal!"
"The days of America being taken advantage of by China and other nations are OVER! The Trump era is all about POWER and WINNING!" he wrote.
According to the GOP, it’s considered “winning” when the stock market collapses just one day later.
Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona agreed "100%" with a batshit-crazy X post from creepy White House adviser Stephen Miller.
"You have been watching the greatest economic master strategy from an American President in history,” Miller wrote.
And GOP Rep. Mike Lawler of New York posted a graphic on Wednesday declaring that the “stock market posts third biggest gain in post-WWII history."
Too bad that gain was nearly erased one day later. Not to mention, the temporary gain didn't even make up what was lost after Trump’s “Liberation Day” anyway.
Similarly, GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York wanted in on the action of praising Dear Leader, scrounging up one of Trump’s X posts from 2014.
"Deals are my art form. Other people paint beautifully or write poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That's how I get my kicks,” he wrote.
Also paying homage to Trump’s “The Art of the Deal,” GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida posted a meme calling the short-lived stock market boost the "art of the deal."
Meanwhile, other GOP lawmakers have tried to criticize the few Republicans who have stood against Trump’s tariffs.
"See? Trust the President. He understands trade and economics and NEGOTIATIONS better than his critics give him credit for. The critiques from certain Senate Republicans were premature, to say the least," Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas wrote on X.
The Republicans who have actually been right are those like Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who have said that tariffs are bad because they are a tax on consumers and will lead us to economic calamity.
“Tariffs raise the prices of goods and services. Even those who obstinately deny that basic fact will soon realize that the tariffs are a tax on the American people, whether while paying for groceries or looking at their investment portfolio,” Paul wrote in National Review op-ed.
You know things are bad when Democrats agree with Rand Paul.