'Let Them Eat Cake' Moment: Trump's Big 'Pain' Confession Leaves Critics Horrified

Critics are calling out President Donald Trump for admitting that his tariffs, which he long insisted wouldn’t lead to higher prices for essential goods, may at first cause “pain” for millions of American families. 

“I’m not concerned. We may have short-term a little pain,” he told reporters on Sunday evening. “And people understand that.” 

He said the United States had been “ripped off by virtually every country in the world,” leading to major trade deficits.

“We’re going to change it. It’s been unfair,” he said. 

Trump made similar comments in an all-caps rant on his Truth Social website, admitting there may be “some pain” but that it would be “worth the price that must be paid.” 

But that’s at odds with his vows during the 2024 presidential campaign. 

During last year’s debate with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump was asked if his proposed tariffs would lead to higher prices for American families on gas, food, clothing, medicine and more, as many economists predicted. 

“They aren’t going to have higher prices,” Trump insisted. “Who’s going to have higher prices is China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years.” 

He made similar promises throughout the presidential campaign, saying at a rally in September that “it’s not going to be a cost to you; it’s going to be a cost to another country.”

The president also repeatedly vowed to quickly reduce the price of groceries, utility bills and more, insisting that he would “immediately bring prices down, starting on Day 1.”

Now he’s admitting that “pain” will come first, adding that “people understand that.” 

Trump’s critics on social media weren’t as understanding as he seemed to expect: