New Delhi, April 7 -- Republican senator Ted Cruz has issued a stark warning about President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariff regime, cautioning that the move could lead to a recession and devastate fellow Republican prospects in upcoming elections.

Speaking on his podcast Verdict, the Texas Republican said, "I am seeing a lot of Republican cheerleaders reflexively defending what the White House is doing."

He expressed concern that the administration's aggressive tariff hikes could spark a full-scale trade war, "which would destroy jobs here at home and do real damage to the US economy."

Cruz warned that the economic consequences could have deep political repercussions for the GOP, especially in 2026.

"If we go into a recession, par...