Trump Falls Flat on His Face When Told His Plans Will Wreck Economy
Donald Trump was asked about his economic plans during an appearance at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday—and he lashed out when he couldn’t come up with a good answer.
Trump was being interviewed by John Micklethwait, Bloomberg News’s editor-in-chief, who pointed out that the former president’s economic promises, if enacted, would add $7.5 trillion to the national debt, or 150 percent of GDP, twice the total that Kamala Harris’s economic plans would add. Micklethwait then asked the former president why the audience should trust him.
Trump replied by discussing his plans to bring manufacturing companies back to America, and how he would protect those companies with tariffs. Micklethwait pointed out that those tariffs would only bring back $200 billion, recouping the costs from just two of Trump’s promises.
“But, that’s like, for what company you’re talking about,” Trump answered unintelligibly, before going off on a tangent about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Micklethwait: If you add up all the promises you have made it would add $7.5 trillion to the debt.
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 15, 2024
Trump: Tariffs..
Micklethwait: That’s barely the cost of two of your promises
Trump: That’s like for what company you’re talking about pic.twitter.com/TGyYGfjm19
Micklethwait continued to challenge Trump throughout the combative interview, citing the Wall Street Journal to note that costs of Trump’s economic promises were stratospheric.
“I was actually quite kind to you, I used $7 trillion, the upper estimate is $15 trillion. People like the Wall Street Journal, which is hardly a Communist organization, they have criticized you on this as well. You are running up enormous debt,” Micklethwait said, before Trump cut him off, clearly frustrated.
“What does the Wall Street Journal know? I’m meeting with them tomorrow, what does the Wall Street Journal know? They’ve been wrong about everything, so have you, by the way. You’ve been wrong about everything,” Trump replied, as the crowd, which seemed to support him, laughed.
“You’re trying to turn this into a debate, there are business people here,” Micklethwait said as Trump repeatedly tried to cut him off.
“You’ve been wrong all your life on this stuff,” Trump said, to more laughter from the audience.
This is an awful event for Trump, now he’s throwing a fit and attacking the Wall Street Journal and the moderator: What does the Wall Street Journal know? They’ve been wrong about everything. So have you. pic.twitter.com/7oH9tSuScF
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 15, 2024
Trump was clearly caught off guard at the event, not expecting an interview in which his grandiose promises would actually be examined since he has the Republican Party’s usual support from the business community. Most of his interviews during the presidential campaign, even for the media outlets that criticize him, haven’t directly confronted him on the specifics of his policies, particularly his economic plans.
Harris has been courting business leaders, hoping to peel them away from supporting Trump and the GOP. Trump’s answers during this interview may go a long way in helping her cause.