Trump's top trade rep under fire before Senate committee after days of market chaos

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s top trade negotiator came under fire Tuesday from senators unnerved by the president's sweeping global tariffs, a market meltdown and the heightened risk of recession from an upended global trading order.

“It seems like we’ve decided to begin a trade war on all fronts,″ said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. He said he wanted to know who in the Trump administration he should hold responsible — and “choke″ — if the tariffs fail and Americans suffer from higher prices and slower economic growth. “I wish you well,″ he told U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. ”But I am skeptical.’’

Greer addressed the Senate Finance Committee a day after global markets swung wildly and some business leaders lambasted the president's aggressive bid to raise tariffs on almost every nation on earth.

Greer testified that Trump's tariffs are already getting results, convincing “about 50'' countries to come to the negotiating table to reduce their own trade barriers. He said, for example, that Vietnam is cutting its own tariffs on apples, almonds and cherries. The import taxes are designed to reduce America's massive trade deficits, but Greer conceded that it will take time and that the adjustment might ”be challenging at times.''

Lawmakers, including Republicans, are getting jittery about Trump's trade wars, especially since stocks collapsed after he announced broad tariffs last Wednesday. The market rebounded Tuesday on hopes that negotiations will convince the president to lower or suspend the tariffs, the biggest of which are set to take effect at midnight Wednesday.

Several senators demanded that Greer explain what the administration was seeking to accomplish. At various times, Trump has said the tariffs were meant to raise money for the Treasury, bring manufacturing back to the United States, protect domestic industries and get other countries to make concessions.

“What is the plan?’’ said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, top Democrat on the finance committee. “In the last week, the White House has been all over the map when it comes to these tariffs. There is no clear message about how they were determined, what they’re supposed to accomplish, how long they will be in place, whether they’re a negotiating tool or a move to try and cut the United States off from global trade and usher in a new era of 1870s-style protectionism.’’

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he would oppose the tariffs if they are intended only to raise revenue for the federal government, and not to open foreign markets to American exports.

The Constitution gives Congress authority to set taxes, including tariffs. But lawmakers have gradually ceded that authority to the White House.

Trump has been especially aggressive about using the powers of the presidency to impose his trade agenda. He claimed emergency authority to impose his massive tariffs last Wednesday. He earlier used the same powers to hit Chinese, Canadian and Mexican imports.

Trump also has bypassed Congress to tax steel, aluminum and auto imports on the grounds that they pose a national security threat to the United States.

Now lawmakers — including some Republicans — are suggesting that Congress needs to reassert its authority over trade.

“Donald Trump’s aimless, chaotic tariff spree has proven beyond a doubt that Congress has given far too much of its constitutional power over international trade to the executive branch,” Wyden said. "It is time to take that power back.''

Grassley, the Iowa Republican, and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington last week introduced legislation that would require presidents to justify new tariffs to Congress. Lawmakers would then have 60 days to approve the tariffs. Otherwise, they would expire.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune showed no sign that he would allow a vote on a bipartisan bill that would exert congressional oversight of Trump’s tariffs.

“I don’t think that has a future,” Thune said of a bill from Grassley and Cantwell.

AP Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)