ECONOMY/GOP/TARIFFS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Republicans are trying to head off their next potentially explosive conflict with President Donald Trump. In a series of private meetings and conversations with Trump over the past few months, Senate Republicans have pleaded with him not to impose a new round of tariffs on foreign automakers — fearing they could debilitate Trump-backed states and cast the economy into a recession ahead of the 2020 election. But Trump isn’t heeding the warnings so far. Behind closed doors, GOP senators push back on Trump consistently when he brings up existing tariffs on steel and aluminum or potential tariffs on automakers, according to Republican senators. But Trump doesn’t back down from his position: He says the threat of tariffs gets the attention of trading partners — like China — who need to permit more imports of American products…Whether GOP senators can head off another round of tariffs ultimately lies with the whims of the president. Administration officials have tried to reassure worried Republicans that the president has hit pause as he considers a trade report that would allow him to declare tariffs on the basis of national security.”
–Burgess Everett and Adam Behsudi, “Republicans warn Trump to back off economy-wrecking tariffs,” Politico, March 27, 2019 7:08 pm