When Donald Trump was running for president a third time, economists on both sides of the aisle warned that his plan for an across-the-board tariff of at least 10% would be an economic “disaster” that, at best, would cost American families thousands of dollars a year. “A tariff of that scope and size would impose a massive tax on the folks who it intends to help,” warned Paul Winfree, who previously served as Trump’s deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council. “It would get passed along through higher prices at a time when the Federal Reserve has had difficulty limiting inflation.” Nevertheless, millions of people chose to vote for Trump on the promise that he would lower inflation and make life more affordable for them. Which makes his remarks on Meet the Press over the weekend pretty awkward!
During a conversation on the program, MTP host Kristen Welker noted that the president-elect has proposed tariffs “against the United States’ three biggest trading partners,” adding that “economists of all stripes say that ultimately consumers pay the price of tariffs.” Initially, Trump responded, “I don’t believe that.” Then, asked by Welker if he could “guarantee American families won’t pay more,” he said: “I can’t guarantee anything.”
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While it’s true that Trump—despite what some of his supporters think—is not an all-powerful god who can control every aspect of American life, it’s not very comforting that he ran on ending inflation and lowering prices and now is saying he can’t promise tariffs won’t cost consumers. In reality, the actual reason he can’t “guarantee” American families won’t bear the brunt of the costs is that tariffs are taxes and companies are not just going to cover them themselves, as Welker pointed out.
“Sir, your previous tariffs during your first administration cost Americans some $80 billion, and now you have major companies—from Walmart, Black & Decker, AutoZone—saying that any tariffs are going to force them to drive up prices for their consumers,” the MTP host noted. “How do you make sure that these CEOs, that these companies don’t, in fact, pass on the cost of tariffs to their consumers?”
At this point, Trump chose to revert to his go-to method of communication, i.e., lying. “They cost Americans nothing,” he said. “They made a great economy for us.” Welker then noted again that “prices did go up on some goods in your first administration,” asking if Trump would “punish CEOs” for saddling consumers with the costs. After Trump gave a rambling answer involving Ohio and Jim Jordan, Welker again asked, “How do you make sure that consumers don’t wind up paying more? Will you punish CEOs who try to pass the cost of tariffs on to their customers?”—to which Trump responded that “the market’s going to take care of it,” and “if it doesn’t, we adjust it somewhat.” He did not explain what that might mean.
Another thing Trump apparently can’t “guarantee”? That he won’t restrict abortion medication.
Of course, a way to not put himself “in a position like that” would be to promise he won’t restrict the availability of abortion medication and then not restrict the availability of abortion medication.
One thing that the president-elect is happy to guarantee? That he’ll end birthright citizenship on the first day of his presidency. Asked if this campaign pledge was still his plan, Trump responded: “Absolutely.”
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