After President Trump ordered stiff tariffs be imposed on Mexico, Canada and China, most Republicans in Congress stayed silent or praised his actions even as their constituents expressed anxiety about rising prices on everything from crops to cars to household appliances.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, the rare Republican who regularly criticizes the president, was an exception, writing on X that “tariffs are simply taxes. Conservatives once united against new taxes. Taxing trade will mean less trade and higher prices.”

It was a position in line with what almost all Democrats said as they tried to drive home to voters that Mr. Trump, who campaigned on lowering costs, was doing the opposite.

Some Republicans over the weekend did cheer Mr. Trump’s policy — “Ohio is open for business and will roll out the red carpet for any company manufacturing in America!” Senator Bernie Moreno wrote on X — but Mr. Paul’s statement indicated that at least some Republicans know tariffs could lead to costs that will be passed onto American consumers, even if they’re unlikely to say so and get crosswise of Mr. Trump.

Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, who represents a district won by Kamala Harris last year and remains one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House, was among the few who expressed skepticism of the policy. Mr. Bacon said he was confused about using tariffs to negotiate a better trade deal with Canada. “We already had a trade agreement and it was a good trade agreement,” he said on CNN. “It’s hard for me to square that circle. We’ll see what the impacts are over the next couple of weeks, maybe it’s a chance to maybe rethink we’re at, at that point.”

Mr. Bacon did not criticize Mr. Trump outright, but he tried to offer some carefully worded advice. “I would suggest focusing on China and Russia,” he said. “They are our adversaries and China does do illegal trade practices. And that’s where I would put my emphasis.”

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