Republican bigwigs ramp up criticism of tariff policies: hoping Trump listens to Musk on trade policy

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz intensified his criticism of President Trump's tariff policy on Monday, stating that as the White House plans to implement the most severe U.S. trade tariffs in over a century, there are "angels and demons" vying for influence.

Media reports indicate that Cruz mentioned in a podcast on Monday that while Trump's tariffs are "important"—especially in bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.—if these tariffs are not used as a short-term negotiating tool but instead become permanent, it would be "very bad" for the U.S.

Cruz stated that there is "a very intense debate" within the White House about how to proceed next.

"Are we using this as leverage to lower tariffs in other countries and then correspondingly lower our own tariffs? Or are we going to keep these tariffs forever, forever, forever?"

"There are some voices in the White House that hope high tariffs become a permanent policy. It's like angels and demons sitting on President Trump's shoulder. Who will he listen to? I hope he listens to the angels."

Cruz noted that one of the "angels" is the world's richest man, Trump's major donor and advisor Elon Musk. Over the weekend, Musk expressed his hope for the eventual establishment of a "free trade zone" between the U.S. and Europe.

Cruz said:

"Elon is one of the angels. He is a good voice concerned about American jobs, and I hope the president can listen to him."

Cruz, also a Republican, publicly criticized Trump in last week's podcast, warning that if the tariff policy continues long-term, it would pose "huge risks" to the U.S. economy. He indicated that its impact could lead to a "bloodbath" for Republicans in next year's midterm elections.

However, Trump and some of his allies believe that imposing tariffs will encourage other countries to lower their export barriers to the U.S. But White House trade advisor Peter Navarro stated in a new commentary for the Financial Times that these tariffs "are not negotiations."

In the latest podcast, Cruz stated:

"I advocate for the president to quickly reach significant trade agreements. To calm the stock market, several major agreements would really, really help."

Despite the global stock market having evaporated about $10 trillion in value, criticism of Trump among Republicans and his supporters remains relatively restrained. However, some voices have emerged, including hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who warned on social media that if Trump does not suspend his tariff policy, the U.S. could face an "economic nuclear winter."

Kaes Van’t Hof, president of energy company Diamondback Energy, also urged the government to explain how the global trade war would benefit shale oil producers. He called out U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on the X platform, stating,

"This government better have a plan, Secretary Wright. U.S. shale oil is the only industry that has truly developed domestically, creating jobs in America and improving the trade deficit (thereby boosting GDP) over the past decade... what a smart decision." The benchmark U.S. crude oil—West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price has fallen about 15% since last Thursday, currently trading at around $61 per barrel. According to a survey by the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank last month, this price is below the $65 breakeven point required for many companies to drill new oil wells in Texas and surrounding areas.

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