Believe it or not, I still have Democrat friends – just a handful out of the 6,000 names in my cellphone address book. But those few Democrats keep texting me to say, “We finally got him. Your friend Trump has finally done it. He screwed up. He’s destroyed the economy. He’s destroyed the Republican Party.”
And I just smile and laugh.
I’ve heard this exact same delusional, wishful thinking a hundred times since 2015. It’s been 10 straight years of, “He’s finally done it. Trump is finished.” And for 10 years. all these delusional Democrats have been dead wrong every time.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Donald Trump is the Road Runner, and Democrats are Wile E. Coyote. Trump’s critics always think they’ve finally got him cornered and defeated. It seems impossible for Trump to escape – just like Roadrunner. Yet he always does. He always dashes their hopes. He always wins. “Beep, beep.”
Let me explain Trump’s short-term problem. Then I’ll present a perfect solution.
The stock market is volatile and declining. But the sky isn’t falling.
First, the stock market isn’t “the U.S. economy.” Main Street is more important than Wall Street.
Because of Trump, after only two months in office, Main Street is on the rebound from the terrible Biden economy. Inflation on key items is down. Jobs are up – smashing expectations. Manufacturing jobs are way up. And factory orders are up. The media conveniently forgets to tell you all of that.
Trump has also convinced foreign countries and companies to invest trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy. The media forgets to mention that one, too.
Back to stocks. The stock market is down dramatically – for the moment. But that’s today – a blip in time. This is only the first inning of a nine-inning game.
And why is it down? Because most of the biggest players on Wall Street are either on China’s payroll or make a fortune selling their products in China. Either way, they’re not on the side of the great American middle class, they’re not on Trump’s side, and they’re not on America’s side.
If Trump wins these trade wars and gets major concessions out of 95% of these countries – and the U.S. economy booms, and millions of jobs are created, and manufacturing comes back to the U.S. – stocks will boom to all-time highs and President Trump will be a hero.
I’ve studied Donald J. Trump for over 40 years. I kept detailed notes about his success. Then I turned those notes into the book, “TRUMP RULES” about Trump’s rules of success that led him to become an all-time great superstar in business, real estate, branding, television and politics. Those same rules have made him the greatest “comeback kid” in history multiple times.
Here is what Trump’s critics don’t understand about his tariffs:
1. Trump is the greatest visionary in history. He sees tariffs as the only way to rearrange the world economic order and make America the dominant economy in the world for decades to come. He knows “no pain, no gain.” This had to happen. It will cause pain and losses in the short term, but long term, it will make America great again. That’s why he was elected.
2. Trump is the greatest risk-taker of all time. He is willing to gamble his legacy on what he knows is the right thing to do. He’s swinging for the fences. Trump understands this is the only way to guarantee America’s prosperity and economic dominance over China long term.
3. Lastly, Trump is the greatest negotiator of all time. He knows you have to aim high (to the point of critics calling you crazy and ridiculous) to get what you want.
That’s exactly what Trump is doing here.
Wall Street expected Trump to ask for 10% tariffs and settle for 5%. Instead, he announced 20%, and 30%, and 60% tariffs. Wall Street was stunned. They panicked. But this is typical Trump. Now he’s in the driver’s seat. He’s intimidated the world. It’s all a negotiation. Trump started high – he aimed for the stars. That’s how he’ll eventually negotiate a final deal that’s great for America. Brilliant.
I have two ideas to supercharge Trump’s tariffs, make them popular right now, calm the American people, calm stock investors and turn the tables on Trump’s critics.
These two ideas will turn Trump’s tariffs into a smashing PR victory and a popular grand slam home run.
First, President Trump should announce he is suspending the federal gas tax temporarily to lower costs at the gas pump for Americans. This softens the short-term blow of the tariffs for middle-class and working-class Americans.
Secondly, Trump should announce that every penny of the trillions of dollars that the tariffs produce will go to tax cuts for the American people.
This is your “Reagan moment,” President Trump.
Turn the tariffs into a popular tax cut. If the American people see the tariffs as giving them a raise (i.e., more money in their pocketbooks), they’ll become your biggest cheerleaders – and drown out Wall Street.
Pledge to use the incoming tariff taxes in a “best-case scenario” to eliminate income taxes and eliminate the IRS. Now the American people will root for tariffs!
Or as a “worst-case scenario,” if we can’t raise enough money to completely eliminate income taxes, pledge to use the tariff money to create a 15% flat tax for personal income, corporate income and capital gain taxes.
Americans will suddenly fall in love with tariffs – even with any short-term pain.
Tariffs will lower their gas bill at the pump and lower their income tax bill. A lower corporate tax rate will lead to lower prices for consumers, and a lower capital gains tax bill will make Wall Street happy.
Everyone wins!
This is how to bring the majority of Americans to your side, make the short-term pain of tariffs palatable, convince investors to be patient, and turn the tables on your critics!
And once again, President Trump is the Road Runner. “Beep, beep.”