1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

The new 25% tariffs on Indian imports, taking effect August 1, along with coercive pressure over India’s energy and defense ties to Russia, mark yet another dangerous overreach in U.S. trade policy. South Korea’s decision to accept a 15% tariff and pledge $350 billion in U.S.-controlled investments—just to avoid harsher penalties—should alarm every member of Congress. This isn’t strategy. It’s extortion masquerading as economic policy. I urge you to support legislative efforts like the REINS Act, Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act, or TRADE Act, all of which return trade power to Congress and help restore constitutional checks and balances. We’ve already seen the damage tariffs have caused: prices soared during the China and Canada trade wars; retaliatory tariffs harmed farmers, small manufacturers, and tech companies. Yet we’re repeating these same failures—this time with even less oversight and broader global fallout. These tariffs are not protecting American jobs. They’re fueling inflation, rewarding corporate greed, and inflaming international tensions. Worse, the executive branch is weaponizing trade policy to bully allies and bypass democratic processes. This march toward economic authoritarianism must stop—and it’s on Congress to act. You have the constitutional authority to regulate trade. Use it. Demand transparency, reassert oversight, and stop this abuse of tariff powers. These sweeping penalties serve only the elite while undermining global partnerships critical to long-term U.S. security. Tariffs must not be used as political weapons or foreign policy threats. Congress must intervene now to halt the August 1 hikes and restore democratic control before the damage becomes irreversible.