It is quite rare to hear republican billionaires openly criticizing Donald Trump’s policy. And yet, in recent days, Ken Langone, a big conservative donor, has qualified customs taxes against Vietnam as “bullshit” and estimated, in an interview with Financial Times, that the president was “poorly advised”. He is not “infallible” and these surcharges are “an error”, added on X the desktop pattern Bill Ackman before adding: “This is not what we voted for”. As for Elon Musk, he treated Peter Navarro, the architect of these protectionist measures, of “Cretin”, “darker than a bag of bricks”.
So far, Donald Trump had benefited from unfailing support from the Republicans. The announcement of these huge customs taxes, however, aroused an extraordinary sling from part of its allies. “We are starting to see a crumbling of the pro-Trump coalition, but not from its base, which is still very loyal,” observes Michael Genovese, professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University. The president managed to put himself on the back the big bosses, from the pharmaceutical industry to the Sillicon Valley, the Wall Street Journal and the National Review, Two respected conservative publications, and even certain right -wing influencers who contributed so much to his victory in November. His vision of international trade is “wrong,” said Ben Shapiro, a popular podcaster. Joe Rogan, another influential podcast host, has called “stupid” the imposition of rights with Canada. He also denounced the “horrific” operations of undocumented mockery.
More discreet resistance than in 2017
When Donald Trump temporarily suspended the tax increase, Bill Ackman and other billionaires, anxious to stay in his small papers, applauded the “brilliantly executed” strategy. But this turnaround has mistreated the image of invincibility of the president. “Like the first signs of spring, the resistance to winter of these first three months begins to emerge. It is vigorous in certain places, but only in the tremor in others,” summarized Ross Baker, a specialist in American politics at Rutgers University.
The opposition movement remains much more felted than in 2017 when the election of the real estate promoter had sparked massive demonstrations, a rebellion against his anti-immigration measures … Eight years later, there are sit-in before the Tesla dealerships. In early April, several hundred thousand Americans gathered across the country to protest. And the Democratic candidate for a Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, Susan Crawford, won this first electoral test since the inauguration.
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Sign of an increasing discontent. Elon Musk had however spent without counting to have his republican opponent elect. This victory gave a little tone to the Democrats, depressed by their defeat to the presidential elections and without power to the congress. “Voters may be ready to turn away from Trump, but to go to whom? Democrats have neither a leader, no voice, nor message. They must offer an attractive alternative,” warns Michael Genovese.
The opposition from the courts
As for the Republican elected officials, despite their growing concern in the face of economic chaos, they continue to fiercely support the head of state. Only a few have dared to criticize protectionist measures. “I like the president, said Ted Cruz, the Texas senator. I am his greatest support for the Senate. However, it must be understood that customs duties are mainly taxes on the American consumer.” Four Republican senators joined the Democrats to vote for a resolution in favor of the abolition of surcharge against Canada. Seven others have supported a bill to limit the executive’s powers on customs duties. A symbolic measure which has no chance of succeeding because their colleagues in the room are hostile there.
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The only serious opposition for the moment has come from the courts. Nearly 160 legal actions were launched against the administration and the federal judges blocked or delayed multiple decrees aimed at suppressing soil law, stopping public subsidies, expeling migrants according to a law of the 18th century … At the end, it is the Supreme Court which will have to decide many of these files. The highest judicial body dominated by the conservatives has so far ruled in favor of the White House.
La Fronde des Avocats
At the great disappointment of many lawyers, law firms were unable to set up a group offensive. The president decided to take revenge on several of them for having represented political rivals or participated in prosecution against him. He signed decrees aimed at flowing their activity by preventing them from working for the federal government and its customers. A dozen firms preferred to give in to escape punitive measures, and negotiate an agreement with the administration in which they engage in various concessions. This capitulation aroused shattering resignations and “cowardice” accusations.
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Three targeted cabinets have chosen to counterattack and seized the courts. The judges agreed to them and temporarily suspended these decrees. In the process, more than 500 law firms (but none of the 20 largest) published a text denouncing the reprisal campaign of Donald Trump. Several prosecutors also resigned in protest against the non -ethical practices of the government. The departure of Danielle Sassoon made a lot of noise in particular. This New York prosecutor refused to submit to the directives of the Ministry of Justice and abandon the prosecution for corruption against the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, a close to Trump.
Recurring intimidation
A beginning of mobilization is also sketching in universities, another target of the president. Last week, two groups of Harvard teachers brought legal action against the administration, which threatens to remove 9 billion public subsidies and requires a list of reforms. “Harvard does not only have the resources to resist pressure,” said the mayor of Cambridge, the university site, during a demonstration, “she also has a moral obligation to do so.”
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If the resistance struggles to organize, it is because the occupant of the oval office practices intimidation. “Creating fear is your favorite strategy to get people to execute your wishes,” notes William Galston of the BrooKings Institution. We see him at the congress where he threatens elected officials to torpedo their re -election at the slightest criticism. These days, the administration blocked the subsidies intended for the schools of Maine, because the governor of the State refuses to prohibit transgender in the women’s sports teams.
“For the moment, the intense panic on customs duties has focused mainly on Wall Street. Number of Trump voters are ready to give a little time to the president” to negotiate “good deals”, observes Amy Walter, analyst of the Cook Political Report. But “if the polls fall in the face of the economic situation, the Republican elected officials will have to wonder. In the meantime, Trump has little to fear, concludes Professor Genovese: he controls the scene and has money to support him”.
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