Mike Pence Critiques Trump's Tariffs as Largest Peacetime Tax Hike

Far-right podcaster Ben Shapiro has criticized President Donald Trump's new tariffs, labeling them as 'probably unconstitutional' and highlighting discrepancies in Trump's tariff rates, which Shapiro suspects are derived from trade deficits rather than actual tariffs (Daily Beast). Former Vice President Mike Pence has also strongly condemned these tariffs, describing them as 'the largest peacetime tax hike in U.S. history,' calculating a potential cost of over $3,500 per year for American families (Mediaite, Times of India). Pence's criticisms are supported by a Fox News poll indicating that 69% of respondents expect the tariffs to make products more expensive (The Daily Beast). Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dismissed Pence's criticisms, asserting the tariffs are part of an 'America First' strategy, while MAGA supporters have criticized Pence for his stance (Times of India, The Daily Beast). Trump announced the tariffs on Liberation Day, claiming they are necessary to protect American industry (Daily Beast, Times of India). Despite the backlash, Trump remains firm on his tariff policy, which he describes as 'reciprocal tariffs' (The Daily Beast).