Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said members of his party are united in their support of President Trump’s strategy of using tariffs to motivate Mexico to curb illegal immigration.
“The caucus definitely supports the president’s use of tariffs to give us leverage against our trading partners to treat us fairly,” Johnson said on Fox News Sunday. ”This is out of control. That’s why the president had to act, because Mexico had not been acting.”
Trump threatened earlier this month to impose steep tariffs on Mexican imports if the country did not commit to “meaningful” immigration reform.
Some Republicans said they did not support the president’s plan.
Trump announced late Friday night that the Mexican government had communicated an acceptable plan to his administration, for which reason the tariffs would not go into effect.
“I think he used them as leverage in the situation brilliantly, quite honestly,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he called the Mexican ambassador last week and warned him that the president was “dead serious” about imposing tariffs.
“There are not the votes to override it,” Johnson told the ambassador. “Take that threat very seriously. You know you have to do more.”
Trump complained Sunday morning that he was not getting enough credit from the media for forcing Mexico’s hand on immigration.
“If President Obama made the deals that I have made, both at the Border and for the Economy, the Corrupt Media would be hailing them as Incredible, & a National Holiday would be immediately declared,” he tweeted. “With me, despite our record setting Economy and all that I have done, no credit!”
If President Obama made the deals that I have made, both at the Border and for the Economy, the Corrupt Media would be hailing them as Incredible, & a National Holiday would be immediately declared. With me, despite our record setting Economy and all that I have done, no credit!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2019
