Is the Economy Really Collapsing? – A Tariff Update

Is the Economy Really Collapsing? – A Tariff Update

With the stock market falling for three consecutive days, many Americans are asking whether the Trump tariffs are actually working—and if they ever will. Uncertainty is high, but one thing remains clear: Donald Trump ran on this issue back in 2016, and it resonated with voters. He won the presidency by flipping key swing states and leading the Republican Party to a historic victory under the "Make America Great Again" banner.

Trump has been talking about America’s trade problems for decades—even long before entering politics. Over 40 years ago, he appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s show warning that America was getting ripped off on trade. Now, with the power of the presidency, he’s finally able to take action—and he's doing it head-on.

Since America went off the gold standard, our economy has slowly shifted away from industrial production. We once made goods and built things within our borders, but as globalization progressed, jobs and manufacturing moved overseas to countries with cheaper labor. Natural competition took its course, and America transitioned into a service-based economy, where more people now work with their minds rather than their hands.

While this shift has some benefits, it has also led to stagnating wages and growing inequality. Wealth has increasingly flowed into the stock market and away from the working and middle classes. Over time, the gap between the top and the rest has widened, with America accumulating a massive trade deficit.

Much of this can be traced back to two major policy decisions in the 1990s under President Bill Clinton. First, the World Trade Organization allowed China to join the global trade system, which enabled them to dominate global manufacturing. Second, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opened trade with Mexico and Canada, removing key protections for American workers in the name of "free trade."

While free trade helped America become a global superpower, it also left us vulnerable. Our politicians—on both sides—let other countries take advantage of us for decades. Now, President Trump is attempting to reverse course. It won’t happen overnight. This issue is deep-rooted, highly complex, and layered with global implications.

China, without question, is the biggest obstacle to Trump's trade agenda. As both nations escalate tariffs on one another, the economic tug-of-war continues. But within the Republican Party and among MAGA supporters, there is unwavering confidence in Trump's ability to handle it. We elected a man to do a job—and if anyone can get it done, it’s him.

To the left-wing Democrats panicking over Trump’s actions: he’s done more to fulfill your own promises to help the middle and lower classes in the last 20 days than your party has in the last 20 years. While the "rich man’s economy"—the stock market—has taken a hit, the real economy that affects working Americans is improving. Egg prices have dropped significantly, oil prices are at multi-year lows, and inflation has steadily declined since Trump began unlocking America’s energy potential.

This isn’t a collapse. It’s a course correction.