The announcement that Harley-Davidson will move some manufacturing overseas has given a second wind to Republican lawmakers who want to limit President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE’s authority to impose tariffs.

Trump has argued for months that his tough negotiation tactics would pay off in better trade deals, but that was undercut this week by the news that the iconic motorcycle manufacturer based in swing-state Wisconsin was offshoring production.

ADVERTISEMENT

Harley-Davidson was reportedly seeking to escape tariffs imposed by the European Union that could add as much as $2,200 to the cost of buying one of its motorcycles.

“It’s very concerning. It’s certainly not a good development,” Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune John Randolph ThuneOvernight Defense: Stopgap spending measure awaits Senate vote | Trump nominates former Nunes aide for intelligence community watchdog | Trump extends ban on racial discrimination training to contractors, military Remote work poses state tax challenges Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (S.D.), the third-ranking member of GOP leadership, said of the Harley-Davidson news.

“It’s certainly a red flag about trade policies the administration is implementing,” he added.

Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.), who has a Harley-Davidson factory just outside his district, blasted Trump’s trade policy for making it tougher for American companies to do business.

“I think tariffs are basically taxes,” Ryan told reporters Tuesday at the Capitol. “What ends up happening is you get escalating tariffs and end up raising taxes.”

Despite the frustrations, GOP lawmakers have resisted picking a fight with Trump, who regularly lashes out at opponents and maintains strong approval numbers with the GOP base.

While Ryan criticized the president’s tariff policies, he did not say what action Congress would take, if any, to rein him in.

Trump on Tuesday slammed Harley-Davidson, a company that he previously championed.

“A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country-never! Their employees and customers are already very angry at them. If they move, watch, it will be the beginning of the end - they surrendered, they quit! The Aura will be gone and they will be taxed like never before!” Trump thundered in one tweet.

Sens. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerHas Congress captured Russia policy? Tennessee primary battle turns nasty for Republicans Cheney clashes with Trump MORE (R-Tenn.) and Pat Toomey Patrick (Pat) Joseph ToomeyAppeals court rules NSA's bulk phone data collection illegal Dunford withdraws from consideration to chair coronavirus oversight panel GOP senators push for quick, partial reopening of economy MORE (R-Pa.) are stepping up pressure on Senate GOP leaders to allow a vote this week on an amendment to the pending farm bill that would strip Trump’s power to impose tariffs and give it to Congress.

Corker and Toomey argue that the Senate should tackle Trump’s trade authority during the farm bill debate because steel and aluminum tariffs not only affect manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, but also farmers whose exports face retaliatory trade measures.

“Everyone understands that the president is doing more damage to the [agricultural]community than any farm bill could ever do to help,” Corker said.

Corker and Toomey are negotiating with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) to get a vote this week.

But some of Trump’s allies pushed back at a private Senate lunch on Tuesday.

They argue it would be unwise to provoke a clash with Trump a few months before the midterm elections.

“We’re concerned about doing it right now,” said a GOP senator who described the debate at the Tuesday lunch.

The lawmaker who requested anonymity to discuss the meeting said there are two factions in the conference. One wants to stop Trump from imposing tariffs, and the other worries that Trump could blast Congress for tying his hands and provoke an angry backlash from GOP voters.

“Several people strongly support [Trump] not doing this and several people continue to express concern about not doing something that might throw the election off,” the source added.

A second Republican senator said “the leadership is nervous” about opposing Trump on trade because they are skeptical that a confrontation will get him to change his approach and worry that the president could wind up bashing Republicans in Congress in the months before the election.

Some Republicans are advocating for a less confrontational approach that would limit Trump’s tariff authority instead of taking it away and giving it to Congress, as Corker and Toomey propose.

There is a push from members of the Senate Finance Committee for an alternative plan that would limit Trump’s power by narrowing the definition of national security interest that the president has invoked under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act.

Several Republican senators, led by Sen. Rob Portman Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Romney undecided on authorizing subpoenas for GOP Obama-era probes Congress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery MORE (R-Ohio), want the Finance Committee to hold hearings followed by a markup of legislation reforming the president’s ability to impose tariffs based on national security concerns.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchBottom line Bottom line Senate GOP divided over whether they'd fill Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Utah) on Tuesday said he plans to move legislation in his committee addressing Trump’s Section 232 tariff authority.

“I haven’t quite formulated it yet. But we’re going to try to get some of these things resolved in a way that makes sense,” he said.

Hatch indicated he would prefer to limit the president’s statutory authority under the Trade Expansion Act instead of taking away his power to levy tariffs and give it back to Congress, the approach that Corker and Toomey advocate.

Hatch said Corker’s amendment “may go too far.”

Even so, Corker expressed optimism that his proposal could get a vote during the farm bill debate.

McConnell on Tuesday urged GOP colleagues not to block each other’s amendments, which had sparked tensions during debate on the defense authorization bill earlier this month.

Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeHow fast population growth made Arizona a swing state Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden MORE (R-Ariz.) is threatening to block Trump’s judicial nominees in order to force a vote on tariffs.

Republicans have a 51-49 majority but effectively control only 50 seats because Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainThe Memo: Trump's strengths complicate election picture Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' Cindy McCain: Trump allegedly calling war dead 'losers' was 'pretty much' last straw before Biden endorsement MORE (R-Ariz.) has been away from Washington all year undergoing cancer treatment.

Flake, or any other Republican senator, could single-handedly hold up nominees to force a concession from leaders.

“We’re trying to work things out on the tariff vote. Whether it’s on the farm bill or somewhere else, that’s what we’re working right now,” Flake told reporters.

Flake, however, noted that some Republican colleagues worry that approving language curtailing Trump’s power to impose tariffs could draw a veto threat and imperil the farm bill.

“There are some people that feel strongly not to have it on the farm bill,” he said.

Jordain Carney contributed.