A coalition of Democratic lawmakers has voiced concerns that President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy is starting to take on the appearance of a “corrupt scheme to enrich administration officials and loyalists.”
In a letter disclosed to Finance Newso on Thursday, these lawmakers described the administration’s chaotic implementation of new tariffs as “rife with opportunities to unduly influence President Trump and other administration officials.”
The letter has garnered the signatures of 47 members from both the House and Senate. It specifically requests that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer clarify the administration’s plans to prevent tariff misuse for personal gain.
This initiative was spearheaded by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, along with Representatives Judy Chu and Linda Sánchez from California. Notable co-signers include Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as well as Representatives Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Jared Huffman of California, and Al Green of Texas. Sanders, while an independent, aligns with the Democratic caucus.
As the minority party in Congress, Democrats lack the ability to hold hearings or issue subpoenas, which limits their capacity to elicit a formal response from the Trump administration. Nonetheless, this letter underscores their focus on the administration’s economic policies as they strengthen their opposition during his second term.
In the correspondence, the lawmakers argue that Trump’s approach to tariffs has frequently been employed as a means to reward supporters and penalize detractors.
“We fear the administration is once again turning its tariffs policy into an underground market of exemptions in exchange for financial and political favors,” the letter states.
The letter references a recent decision to exempt certain electronics, including smartphones, from these so-called reciprocal tariffs. This exemption noticeably increased the stock values of companies like Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook has reportedly nurtured his relationship with the President in recent months, they noted.
The lawmakers further contend that Trump’s tariffs not only create a culture of corruption through potential quid-pro-quo arrangements but also invite insider trading due to the administration’s shifting trade policies.
They are seeking comprehensive answers from Lutnick, Bessent, and Greer by April 29 concerning the management of potential tariff exemptions.
