WSJ shreds Republicans begging for exceptions to Trump's 'economic mistake'

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

The Wall Street Journal editorial board took several Republican lawmakers to task in a new piece, calling them out for "hypocrisy" after they supported President Donald Trump's "economic mistake" tariffs while also quietly begging for exceptions.

The WSJ board is typically known for published pieces with a heavily conservative slant, often in support of Trump's various pursuits. It has not, however, had any patience for his tariff plans, publishing numerous takedowns of the import tax policies as harmful and haphazardly implemented. As Trump has continued to cling to his tariffs, the board has continued to attack them, publishing a new piece on Tuesday calling out Alabama Sen. Katie Britt's two-faced approach to the problem.

In February, most likely to stay in the president's good graces, Britt released a statement saying, "What the media won’t tell you is that President Trump’s tariffs work," after the Supreme Court struck down Trump's justification for his wide-ranging tariff scheme, despite making "pleas behind closed doors for exemptions."

"What Ms. Britt won’t tell you is that she was privately seeking exemptions 10 months earlier," the board wrote. "That’s when her legislative director wrote an email, 'Sen. Britt Alabama Trade Priorities,' seeking help for 'specific Alabama manufacturers.' We obtained the email from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office via the Freedom of Information Act. The email begins by saying Ms. Britt 'is supportive' of rebalancing trade. Then it moves to 'four pressing issues,' each a plea for an Alabama company."

The companies Britt's staff mentioned in the email included TNT Fireworks, which would be harmed on account of "over 99 percent of firework products [being] produced in China." Other companies mentioned — aluminum company Novelis and wood panel producer Kronospan — would have faced similar harms due to import reliance, while Airbus had halted plans for a new assembly line due to "Trade policy [making] the project financially unviable."

"The point isn’t that Ms. Britt made bad arguments against these four tariffs," the board explained further. "It’s that she made good ones, which show why blunderbuss trade wars are an economic mistake, along with how tariffs deepen the D.C. swamp. Big company CEOs facing tariff harm know how to get a U.S. Senator to plead their case. But who speaks for the little guy being walloped?"

It added later: "Tariffs for thee, exemptions for me. Join the GOP club: In Mr. Trump’s first term, Sen. Josh Hawley lobbied for a carveout on saw blades, Rep. Mark Meadows on furniture wood, Rep. Andy Biggs on patio screens. Who else? When more records arrive, we’ll let you know."

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