By Katherine Tinsley
10:36am PDT, Apr 7, 2025
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Ted Cruz spoke about Donald Trump's
tariffs on a Friday, April 4, episode of his "Verdict" podcast.
"I'm seeing a lot of Republican cheerleaders reflexively defending what the White House is doing," Cruz said.
He went on to claim that a trade war "would destroy jobs here at home and do real damage to the U.S. economy."
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Ted Cruz warned listeners of how Donald Trump's vision for the country could cause a financial downturn.
"If we go into a recession, particularly a bad recession, 2026, in all likelihood, politically, would be a bloodbath," Cruz said. "You would face a Democrat House, and you might even face a Democrat Senate."
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Ted Cruz admitted that he's "not a fan" of tariffs, but he is hopeful that Donald Trump is using them as a negotiation tactic.
"A hundred years ago, the U.S. 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.
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Ted Cruz later admitted that his understanding of Donald Trump's use of taxes on foreign goods could differ from the president's.
"Look, I want this to succeed," Cruz said when discussing tariffs. "But my definition of succeed may be different than the White House's."
"That's success for the American workers, American businesses, American growth, American prosperity," he added.
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During a press conference, Donald Trump clarified why he is attempting to prioritize American goods and businesses.
Trump said in a press conference "jobs and factories will come roaring back," according to CNBC.
"We will supercharge our domestic industrial base, we will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers and ultimately more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers," he continued.
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Donald Trump celebrated his plans while talking to journalists and supporters.
"April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed and the day that we began to make America wealthy again," he said.
"We will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us," he said, adding, "because we are being very kind."
