American Living Standards Are A Sacrifice Trump Is Willing To Make
www.huffpost.com
Trump and his allies say short-term economic pain, through higher prices on consumer goods, is worth the glory that tariffs will bring.

Summary

Trump’s sweeping global tariffs are causing rising consumer prices, market losses, and job risks, but his administration defends them as necessary for long-term economic independence.

Critics warn the tariffs hurt low-income households dependent on cheap imports, especially from China.

Officials argue the American dream isn’t about “cheap baubles,” but higher living standards. However, economists say tariffs worsen inflation and housing affordability.

Despite past GOP support for cheap goods, MAGA allies now downplay short-term pain.

  • stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net
    2·
    12 hours ago

    Trump thinks he can trade a few weeks of bad headlines and market hit, for some magically reappearing domestic manufacturing. It doesnt work that way. Even if it were possible, it wouldn’t create positive economic conditions on any kind of timeline sufficient to offset the negative effects real consumers are already experiencing.

    A few weeks? Try a few months. Or years. I think Trump is fine with bad headlines for months on end.

    The positive interpretation is: Trump’s confident that he’s right. He’s confident America will be better off under his tariff plan. OR he’s confident he can use tariffs to force trade deals that benefit America and exploit the rest of the world. And he knows voters have short memories. As long as the economy is strong in fall 2026 he can take credit for it and give Republicans overwhelming electoral victories at the federal and state level.

    The negative interpretation is: Trump doesn’t care about public opinion because he doesn’t think elections are going to matter anymore.

    Either way, what the media and the voters think about tariffs now doesn’t matter to Trump. Trump does what Trump wants and the rest of the world submits to him. It’s everything he’s always wanted.