Editor's Update: The article has been revised to correct a quotation.
President Donald Trump's fluctuating tariff policies are causing concern amongst his supporters, as reported by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
High-ranking staff at the White House are engaging with business leaders and lobbyists to moderate Trump’s statements as individuals affected by his policies operate discreetly in the background rather than interacting directly with Trump.
According to the Journal report, "During a gathering on Monday held in the White House’s Roosevelt Room, the president along with key advisors met with executives from major technology firms such as International Business Machines, Qualcomm, HP, among others. At this meeting, some CEO participants expressed worries regarding Trump’s tariff policies, suggesting potential negative impacts on their sector, stated an attendee. The President informed journalists that those present discussed plans for investment within the United States."
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"The conflicting signals coming from the president and his advisors have sparked worries amongst certain Republicans that Trump doesn’t have a clear-cut economic strategy," the WSJ further noted.
The former director of the Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who leads the conservative group American Action Forum, told the Journal, "This administration’s economic policy team has had an appalling beginning."
The Journal notes that "Trump’s forceful stance on tariffs has alarmed certain officials within his own economic team." It adds that even individuals from Trump’s National Economic Council have expressed reservations.
"The president's economic advisors cautioned him about potential harm to the market and economic expansion due to tariffs, yet they've noted he remains mostly unpersuaded," sources informed the Journal.
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Nevertheless, the White House ensures that everyone in Trump's administration remains aligned.
"Each member of the Trump administration is using the President's own rulebook to push forward his 'America First' plan which includes imposing tariffs, cutting taxes, reducing regulations, and boosting American energy production," said White House spokesperson Kush Desai to the Journal.
The journal similarly reached out to GOP lawmakers in Congress to assess the effects of Trump’s economic strategies within their constituencies.
"We have no idea how things will appear tomorrow," Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) stated to the Journal. He expressed significant frustration with the uncertainty caused by the tariff plans affecting farmers and businesses within his state, according to additional information from the report.
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"Uncertainty is disliked by businesses," Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) stated, partly attributing this to the fluctuations in the stock market caused by Trump’s tariffs.
Still, “ MAGA warrior Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) minimized the effect of Trump’s policies, stating to the Journal that "the markets are 'working to understand'" the signals coming from the White House regarding tariffs.
Hagerty expresses "hope that clarity might be approaching," according to the Journal.
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