Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 12 June 2018

Republicans reluctant to criticize Trump’s actions abroad

of his presidential tweets. age in trade talks — say,
Many have said their over- to reduce the Canadian
all strategy in dealing with tariffs on U.S. dairy imports
the White House is to steer — he’d be willing to con-
the administration toward sider them. But he told a
shared goals. local radio station that the
But they are also coming president is using the tariffs
to realize that on the trade “for the wrong ends.” They
issues that set Trump off at agreed to disagree.
the G-7 — and led to his But that doesn’t mean the
specific attack against Ca- legislation to halt the tariffs
nadian Prime Minister Justin has much chance of pas-
Trudeau over his country’s sage in Congress. Repub-
steep dairy tariffs — they lican leaders are reluctant
might have irreconcilable to tack the tariff measure
differences with the Repub- onto a must-pass defense
lican Party leader. bill, which includes pay rais-
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- es for the troops, worried it
S.C., said Trump won the would get bogged down.
presidency by tapping into “If you gave truth serum to
a protectionist strain that’s the caucus, I would say it
increasingly popular in would be near unanimous
America, and around the that the substance of this
globe, and it’s calling into amendment is something
question the GOP’s long- they would support,” Corker
standing preference for said of his proposal. “There
free trade and open mar- are a number of people
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the G7 Leaders Summit in La Malbaie, Que., on Saturday, June kets. that obviously don’t want
9, 2018., with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, left, and National Security Adviser John Bolton. “I’m not sure a majority of to counter the president. To
Associated Press Americans believe that glo- me, we are a separate but
By LISA MASCARO McConnell declined pub- Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., was balization and free trade is equal branch.”
AP Congressional Corre- lic comment, as did House among those willing to in our interests,” Graham “I’m intellectually with him,”
spondent Speaker Paul Ryan. In fact, speak his mind, and the ail- said on ABC. Graham said Graham said of Corker’s
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- only a few Republicans ing Sen. John McCain has he and McCain still believe amendment. “I’m just not
publicans in Congress are said anything at all. rarely been one to shy from in trade, “but I’m not sure so sure we should cut the
often hesitant to publicly “There’s just some mov- a fight. most Americans agree with president’s legs out from
criticize President Donald ies you don’t want to see “To our allies: bipartisan ma- John McCain and Lindsey under him right now.”
Trump, even when they again,” said Sen. Pat Rob- jorities of Americans remain Graham.” Democrats are eager to fill
have strong disagree- erts, R-Kan. “It was what it pro-free trade, pro-global- Still, some senators are try- the void in pushing back
ments. And the reaction was.” ization & supportive of alli- ing to push back. A group against Trump.
after his outbursts over the Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., ances based on 70 years of of Republicans is struggling Senate Minority Leader
Group of Seven summit said he wanted to know shared values. Americans this week with legislation Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.,
was not much different. what provoked Trump, say- stand with you, even if our from Sen. Bob Corker, R- criticized Trump’s call for
Trump badmouthed the ing the president doesn’t president doesn’t,” Mc- Tenn., and Sen. Pat Toom- Russia to rejoin the G-7.
prime minister of Canada. usually attack first, but is Cain said on Twitter. ey, R-Pa., to prevent Trump And even though Schumer
Abandoned a joint state- more of a counter-punch- Some Republicans say it is from imposing tariffs on shares Trump’s concerns
ment with longtime trad- er. Still, he doesn’t like “that protocol not to criticize the steel and aluminum imports about the dairy tariffs that
ing partners. And soured kind of language any time.” commander in chief while in the name of national se- hit his upstate industry, he
relations with top U.S. allies “It’s better if we keep he’s traveling abroad — es- curity. tweeted of the summit:
in one of the most startling those kinds of comments pecially now, as Trump be- Trump called Toomey over- “Are we executing Putin’s
outbursts ever at the typi- and those arguments with gins the historic summit with night Sunday from Singa- diplomatic and national
cally diplomatic G-7 sum- friends, in private,” said North Korean leader Kim pore for a 20-minute con- security strategy or AMER-
mit. Rounds. Jong Un in Singapore. versation on trade. ICA’s diplomatic and na-
Yet Republican leadership That left the heavy mop- Others remain fearful of pro- Toomey said Monday that tional security strategy?
in Congress said little. Sen- up mostly to those who voking Trump, worried they if the president intended After the last few days, it’s
ate Majority Leader Mitch are retiring from Congress. will become the subject to use the tariffs as lever- hard to tell.”q