Donald Trump’s highly anticipated remarks on his administration’s trade tariffs were, among other things, important. The president’s agenda is, after all, likely to have a dramatic impact on everything from the economy to consumer prices, jobs to international relations. Much of the country, and much of the world, likely tuned in to learn just how drastic the White House’s vision would be.
What viewers saw was a Republican who not only chose a rather maximalist approach to unnecessary tariffs but who did so while peddling claims that were plainly false.
When “The Rachel Maddow Show” asked Nobel laureate Paul Krugman for his reaction to Trump’s remarks, the economist replied:
Trump’s tariff announcement was full-on crazy. Not only is he imposing higher tariffs than almost anyone expected, but he’s justifying them with completely false claims about other countries’ tariffs. I don’t know where his numbers are coming from, but they have nothing to do with reality. ... It’s a really bad day for the U.S. economy.
At face value, the fact that Trump lied a lot probably seems unremarkable. This is, after all, what he does, and what he’s always done throughout his time in public life. Those who look to this president for honesty and facts clearly haven’t been paying close enough attention.
But if Trump is going to set the global economy — and your retirement savings — on fire, it’s hardly unreasonable to think he should present his vision in a way that had a tangential relationship...
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