In 2025, most GOP lawmakers are reluctant to say or do anything that might offend President Donald Trump — even when it comes to a position they oppose.
During a Friday night, May 2 appearance on CNN, liberal Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) — a scathing critic of the president — argued that privately, many Republicans are cringing over Trump’s tariffs but are afraid to speak out publicly.
Crockett told CNN’s Kaitlin Collins, “It’s absolutely insane. Like, behind closed doors, they will talk about how these things are crazy. You can find plenty of Republicans that will tell you that these tariffs are a problem. They will tell you that, and they know that it’s a problem.”
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Trump, according to Crockett, is putting fellow Republicans in a very difficult position by pushing a policy that, according to economists, will bring a lot of hardship in the months to come. And that’s why are avoiding town halls.
Crockett added that they are also afraid to speak out in favor of any anti-tariff bills.
Crockett told Collins, “It seems like they do whatever (Trump) wants them to do at all times, right?….. They literally were silent. It was almost like they were told, ‘Don’t say anything, because we can’t win. We just have to vote down these common-sense amendments and get through this, because this is what we’ve been told to do.'”
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Watch the full video at this Daily Beast link (subscription required).
