Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) delivered a sharp rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s planned global tariffs, warning that the sweeping trade measures set to take effect Wednesday could cripple key industries and drive up consumer costs. In an interview with WABC Radio in New York on Sunday, Paul cited concerns from Kentucky’s auto manufacturers and bourbon producers—two industries he says will suffer under the tariffs. The senator did not mince words, calling the economic strategy a direct threat to American businesses and consumers alike. “I think tariffs are bad for any country, and I think they’d be bad for America,” Paul stated. “Economically, I think it’ll hurt us. The stock market… there’s millions of people voting every day with their pocketbook, and the stock market’s very skittish, afraid of tariffs.” The Kentucky Republican directly challenged the Trump administration’s justification that tariffs are necessary for national security, calling the claim baseless. “This is just something I disagree with President Trump on,” Paul said. “I’m not for the tariffs and will continue to speak out on it because really, international trade since World War II has made us phenomenally rich. President Trump thinks in another way—he says we’ve been taken advantage of. But I really, really strongly disagree. Trade has made us so rich and really has made the world a better place. The more we trade, I think the less we fight.” Paul’s warning comes amid mounting public dissatisfaction over economic policy. A CBS News poll released Sunday found that 64% of Americans believe the Trump administration is not prioritizing efforts to lower consumer prices. With inflationary pressures still lingering, Paul fears new tariffs will only make matters worse. “If he puts the tariffs on now, there’s some people estimating that a car can cost five to ten thousand dollars more because of tariffs,” Paul cautioned. “We still have some inflation left over from the Biden years. There are people who are struggling to get a car. There are some people struggling to buy a house because of interest rates. And I just don’t think it’s a good idea to put tariffs on now because I think it’ll add to the price of everything.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)