Trump tries to kill bill blocking his tariffs

President Donald Trump called Bob Corker on Wednesday morning to try to dissuade the GOP senator from filing an amendment that would allow Congress to block his steel and aluminum tariffs on U.S. allies.

“He feels like it takes away his negotiating ability. It doesn’t do that at all, it allows him to continue on and do exactly what he’s doing just with our approval. I explained that,” said Corker, who is retiring at the end of the year. “He just called to express a difference of opinion.”

The Tennessee senator is unbowed and plans to introduce his amendment to a defense policy bill on Wednesday afternoon with a bipartisan group of senators. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is also planning to lead a delegation of Republican senators to the White House to express their disapproval of the president’s new tariffs, according to senators and aides.

Most congressional Republicans are deeply frustrated by Trump’s move, worried it will increase costs for Americans and slow down the economy right before the midterms. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has warned that the tariffs “will not be good for the economy.”

Yet Trump’s popularity among Republicans could limit the number of GOP senators willing to take on the president, and McConnell has ruled out a standalone vote on Corker’s proposal. Instead, Corker will try to amend the defense bill, but he’s already having trouble getting his party’s free-traders on board given the president’s disapproval of any congressional meddling on his trade policies.

“Senators have concerns about doing something the president doesn’t like. Unfortunately that’s the way it is,” Corker said. “No one has yet disagreed with the policy. The difference is on the politics.”

Corker may not even be able to get a vote on his proposal. Senators are already at loggerheads over amending the defense bill, and Corker acknowledged that his amendment has a lot to do with it. The Senate has not held an amendment vote on the floor since March.

“Sounds like things are a little bit balled up on amendments on a number of fronts. That’s not completely unusual,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas). “So I think we’re going to have to talk our way through it and figure it out.”

The original story can be found here.