Washington DC [US]: Republican Senator Ted Cruz has issued a sharp warning against President Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs, cautioning that they could spark a trade war and lead to a political “bloodbath” for the GOP in the 2026 elections, according to a report by the New York Post.
Speaking on his podcast ‘Verdict’ on Friday, the Texas senator, 54, criticised fellow Republicans for uncritically supporting the White House’s aggressive tariff strategy.
“I am seeing a lot of Republican cheerleaders reflexively defending what the White House is doing,” Cruz said. He continued, “A trade war would destroy jobs here at home and do real damage to the US economy.”
The senator went on to warn of the potential electoral consequences if the tariffs lead to an economic downturn.
“If we go into a recession, particularly a bad recession, 2026, in all likelihood politically, would be a bloodbath. You would face a Democrat House, and you might even face a Democrat Senate,” he was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
Cruz also raised concerns about the long-term intent behind the policy within the Trump administration.
“A hundred years ago, the US economy didn’t have the leverage to have the kind of impact we do now. But I worry, there are voices within the administration that want to see these tariffs continue forever and ever,” he said.
On April 2, President Trump announced a wide-ranging tariff regime, targeting dozens of countries. This follows his return to the White House in February, where he quickly reasserted his vision of “fair and reciprocal trade”, promising to match foreign tariffs on American exports.
Trump has argued that the tariff hikes are necessary to counter unfair trade practices, such as subsidies, non-monetary barriers, and VAT systems, and to push nations to reduce or eliminate tariffs on US goods.
The current import tariffs imposed by the US include:
- China: 34%
- European Union: 20%
- Vietnam: 46%
- Taiwan: 32%
- Japan: 24%
- India: 26%
- United Kingdom: 10%
- Bangladesh: 37%
- Pakistan: 29%
- Sri Lanka: 44%
- Israel: 17%
Starting April 9, countries with large trade deficits with the US, including India, will face even higher and individualized tariffs. India, for example, now faces a 26% tariff on all exports to the US.