GOP lawmakers dismayed by lack of progress on trade deals

Source: The Hill

07/09/25 6:00 AM ET


Republicans on Capitol Hill are dismayed that the Trump administration hasn’t made more progress in negotiating trade deals and fear the country is heading for another bout of economic turbulence after President Trump announced a new round of steep tariffs on 14 countries. Senior Trump administration officials, including Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent, had signaled earlier this year that the administration was on track to unveil an array of new trade deals in early July.

Instead, the administration is stepping up tariff threats against major trading partners such as Japan and South Korea — major suppliers of cars, appliances and electronics — and Indonesia, a major exporter of palm oil, furniture and textiles.

“Business hates uncertainty,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who warned months ago that Republicans would face political headwinds next year if the Trump White House didn’t settle its global trade disputes quickly.

“I would never advise a former client of mine to make any major decision until [the trade war] settles down, and it just keeps moving. To my knowledge, we don’t have a single ratified or inked trade agreement, up to and including the U.K. We have memoranda of understanding, but we don’t have dispute resolution, or all the other kinds of things you would wrap around the fundamental trade agreement,” added Tillis, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. “Until you have that, you have uncertainty.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5390913-republican-senators-trump-tariffs/