President Trump’s escalating trade policies, once seen as a pillar of his populist economic appeal, are beginning to stir unrest among his own supporters and many are now saying it’s backfiring.
While Republicans have long been steadfast in their loyalty to Trump, a growing number within the party are expressing quiet frustration over his latest tariff initiatives, particularly the recent proposal to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films. That announcement, intended to promote American-made entertainment, has instead raised eyebrows and drawn criticism for being impractical and politically tone-deaf.
Privately, GOP strategists and former Trump campaign staffers are voicing concerns that the president’s obsession with tariffs is beginning to wear thin with voters who once championed his economic vision. Trump’s tariff-heavy focus is not only causing market volatility but is also confusing voters who had expected a return to the robust economy they associated with his first term.
“It’s getting into silly territory,” one Republican strategist remarked. “This is going to continue to cause heartache with Americans who voted for him not with the Democrats, but with his base, because they’re the ones feeling the squeeze on cost of living.”
A former adviser from Trump’s 2020 campaign echoed those sentiments, pointing out how the president’s messaging on trade has shifted away from everyday economic concerns. “They didn’t vote for him to rock the markets and throw out flimsy arguments on movies,” the former aide said. “They voted for him because they wanted a remake of the first Trump economy.”
The discontent, while still under the surface, is becoming harder to ignore. Some longtime supporters are beginning to distance themselves, citing confusion over the direction of Trump’s trade agenda and frustration over rising prices linked to the tariffs. What was once considered a strength of Trump’s economic playbook is now starting to look like a vulnerability and one that’s chipping away at the very coalition he needs most.