Former President Donald Trump’s pledge to slap a 100 percent tariff on Chinese vehicle imports aligns with a rise in anxiety in Washington about the growing might of Beijing’s auto industry — with both Democrats and Republicans clamoring for drastic steps to save American jobs.

Trump’s tariff threat — part of a “bloodbath” tirade that roiled the presidential race last weekend — came just nine days after Democratic senators had urged the Biden administration to consider increasing the United States’ tariffs on Chinese-made cars. Republican lawmakers have also called for trade penalties against vehicles from China, including Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley’s proposal last month to add a 100 percent tariff to the 27.5 percent levy that has been in place since Trump’s presidency.

Democrats are condemning the violent rhetoric of Trump’s speech on Saturday, saying it demonstrates once again the danger he poses to American democracy. But they’ve been less quick to distance themselves from his call for higher tariffs, amid concerns that an influx of cheap Chinese electric vehicles could decimate the U.S. auto industry — even if they don’t want him anywhere close to the Oval Office again.