Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) discussed President Donald Trump's recent 90-day pause in tariffs in a recent interview with Cactus Politics, saying that their implementation proved the tariffs were not just a "scare tactic."
Trump ordered the pause after multiple countries came forward to negotiate new trade deals but raised tariffs on China to 125%. We asked Rep. Ciscomani for his thoughts as Democrats criticize the reversal:
"Democrats have been crying foul since the beginning of all these talks," he said, adding, "When you look at what the President did, this is what, the third time he pauses them?" referencing the relief on tariffs imposed on Mexico and Canada after securing a border deal.
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Nevertheless, Rep. Ciscomani pointed out that "the talk of the tariffs has been shifting since the President came into office since he was sworn in. If people thought that it was just a threat or a negotiating tool, it kind of was a little bit of both."
However, "because they are real, they are not just a scare tactic. Obviously, they have become real, but they have also brought people to the table. So it was the effectiveness of it, of sending a shockwave to this thing, and instead of progressively moving through them and upping the pressure a little bit here, a little bit there, he just came in, and in a very Donald Trump-style of saying, 'I need to get your attention,' and he got the world's attention with it."
The Arizona Congressman further noted that the 90-day pause now means countries have time to negotiate new trade deals, "and I think we are going to have a good outcome. The markets reacted to those decisions, right? And that is what [Trump] kept saying, 'Do not panic."
While Ciscomani said he was unsure if implementing the tariffs and then pausing them once countries reacted was the intended plan, "I think we are in better shape today than we were yesterday."
