"Pain." The word is used repeatedly by many Republican lawmakers in Congress when pressed about the massive and widespread tariffs announced by Donald Trump on Wednesday, April 2. For the most part, these lawmakers repeat the strange medical metaphor adopted by the president, either out of conviction or fear of retaliation. During his Thursday flight to Florida, where he went to play golf while Wall Street plummeted, Trump compared the American economy to a sick patient who needed an "operation" – a procedure he claimed was now "over" with the announcement of tariff barriers. While the economy inherited from Joe Biden indeed had vulnerabilities – such as a terrible debt – its foundations were healthy, growth was strong and inflation was under control. The urgency of such an "operation" is therefore highly questionable, and its negative effects are only just beginning to surface.

It is impossible to deny the evidence: falling stock market indices, industrial concerns, impending layoff plans and inflationary risk. In Congress, the "Liberation Day" touted by the White House was one of dismay. Republican Senator Ted Cruz (Texas) was among the few to speak unequivocally on Fox Business: "Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and I'm not a fan of jacking up taxes on American consumers," he said, expressing hope that this was a pressure tool to achieve a reduction in the tariffs imposed by other trade powers.

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