President Donald Trump is running the country like it’s one of his businesses — and critics are warning that he’s gone too far.
In a recent interview with Time magazine, Trump compared the U.S. economy to a retail business. “It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there,” he said. “And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay.”
That quote set off alarms among economists and political leaders who say Trump is ignoring the limits of his role. “The president of our country is not the CEO of our businesses,” said Douglas Elmendorf, former director of the Congressional Budget Office. “That’s not the role of the president. They should be setting broad policies, not intervening for particular companies.”
But Trump is doing just that — personally stepping into fights over drug prices, interest rates, and trade deals. He’s called for “most-favored-nation” pricing on pharmaceuticals, demanded lower interest rates from the Federal Reserve, and pressured companies like Apple and Walmart on where and how they operate.
In fact, during a trip to the Middle East, Trump told business leaders the biggest reason to invest in America was him. “There’s no better place to make a future or make a fortune… than what we have in the United States of America under a certain president, Donald J. Trump,” he said. “I have the right attitude.”
For Trump, the line between private business and public office keeps getting blurrier. His family has financial ties in regions where he’s made official visits, and his administration has leaned into industries where they stand to benefit — like cryptocurrency.
He recently lashed out at Walmart for warning that his tariffs on China could raise prices. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!”
This isn’t typical presidential behavior. Most past presidents — even those who tried to influence the economy — have worked through Congress and institutions. Trump often acts alone, with little input from experts or lawmakers.
“In this administration, policy decisions seem to be made only based on the president’s personal views, not after systemic analysis,” Elmendorf said. “No one person, however talented or knowledgeable, can understand everything.”
Even some Republicans are raising concerns. Senator Rand Paul slammed Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs. “One person is not allowed to raise taxes. The Constitution forbids it,” Paul said on the Senate floor.
But most of the GOP remains quiet — even as Trump’s economic moves backfire. A recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll showed that over 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, and nearly two-thirds oppose his tariff policies.
Trump once mocked Democrats for proposing similar ideas. He called Kamala Harris a “communist” during the 2024 campaign because she wanted to limit price-gouging on food. His campaign later defended that comment by saying “Kamala Harris has literally suggested price controls.”
Now, Trump is pushing something that sounds a lot like price controls himself. When announcing his drug pricing executive order, Trump said: “Basically, what we’re doing is equalizing. There’s a new word that I came up with… Nobody knew the system like I do.”
Industry leaders didn’t agree. The pharmaceutical trade group PhRMA said, “Government price setting in any form is bad for American patients and undermines the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry’s ability to compete.”
All presidents try to shape economic policy, but Trump’s approach is personal, centralized, and often unchecked. He doesn’t just want to guide the economy — he wants to run it. And now, he’s openly saying he “owns” it.
Critics say that mindset is dangerous.
“It’s just a major problem with the American system that one man has so much power,” said Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute. “It is far more outrageous now than it’s been in the past.”
