From left, U.S. Sen. John Thune, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, all Republicans of South Dakota, talk about agriculture policy at Dakotafest in Mitchell on Aug. 21, 2024. (Joshua Haiar | South Dakota Searchlight)
MITCHELL, South Dakota — U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, criticized former President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade policy proposals on Wednesday at Dakotafest, calling them “a recipe for increased inflation.”
“There clearly is a different philosophy that is expounded by former President Trump and some of the folks who share the view he does about tariffs,” Thune said.
A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported goods.
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Thune’s position reflects a broader division within the Republican Party over trade policy. While Trump’s protectionist approach has gained significant support among the GOP base, Republicans like Thune continue to advocate for a more free trade approach.
This story was produced by the South Dakota Searchlight which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
