During his appearance before Congress this week, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer faced numerous uncertainties regarding the White House's tariff plans, which seemed to confuse even Republican lawmakers. The confusion deepened on Wednesday when President Trump unexpectedly announced through social media a 90-day postponement of his reciprocal tariff plans, while maintaining the 10% duties on most countries that took effect over the weekend. This surprising news came as lawmakers were wrapping up the testimony, with a Democrat, Tom Suozzi of New York, criticizing the president for catching Greer off guard and expressing sympathy towards him.

Greer acknowledged the delay but provided no further details, reiterating that the primary focus was on China as it had pursued its own strategy. This development marked the conclusion of a tumultuous two-day hearing before Senate and House committees, during which Republican lawmakers openly expressed doubts about the ongoing confusion caused by Trump's tariff policies.

Senators and House members raised various concerns throughout the hearings, questioning the potential inflationary impact, the narrow focus on trade deficits as a measure of success, the absence of exclusions, the effects on farmers, and the timing of imposing tariffs before initiating trade negotiations with other countries. Republican lawmakers emphasized the need for careful consideration of the implications, with Senator Ron Johnson cautioning about the risk of companies going bankrupt due to the policy actions.

Greer attempted to address the GOP's inquiries while Trump also hinted at the concerns during the week, urging his party not to panic and advising those uneasy about the tariffs to remain calm. He justified the abrupt decision to pause the tariffs by citing market instability and investor concerns, indicating a shift in approach in response to mounting apprehension.