President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement on Wednesday to pause tariffs for 90 days has left his supporters both relieved and frustrated. The decision, which followed days of market instability caused by the tariffs, sparked a short-term rally in stocks but raised concerns about Trump’s unpredictable approach to trade policy.
Just a week ago, Trump introduced a sweeping new round of tariffs, sending shockwaves through the markets. Even some Republicans and Trump’s usual backers on Fox News expressed concerns, warning the move could damage the economy. The president’s announcement on social media this Wednesday, however, offered a temporary break. Trump declared there would be a “90 day PAUSE” on tariffs for 75 countries willing to negotiate, while raising tariffs on China to 125%, citing China’s disrespect for global markets.
The pause brought a momentary sigh of relief from conservative voices who had heavily criticized the tariffs. Yet, many were quick to point out that the market’s recovery didn’t fully erase the losses incurred after last week’s tariff announcement. The broader reaction made it clear that this whole situation was chaotic and unnecessary.
Jeff Blehar sarcastically remarked, “So much for giving Trump’s brilliant tariffs time to work out. All part of the plan, I am assured.”
David French echoed the sentiment, saying, “Exactly. That which Trump arbitrarily revokes, he can arbitrarily invoke tomorrow.”
Scott Lincicome summed up his frustration bluntly: “This is all so stupid.”
Others mocked Trump’s “no pain, no gain” rhetoric. Matt Lewis posted, “Trump’s loyalists kept telling us, ‘no pain, no gain.’ Now, the whole thing looks more like a guy who buys a Bowflex, uses it once, and then spends the next six months draping laundry over it.”
Some critics questioned whether Trump was even capable of making consistent decisions. @Patterico tweeted, “I would have taken retiring on time over being this right about everything.”
Despite the temporary market boost, concerns remained about the long-term effects. Kyle Pomerleau noted, “Markets obviously happy about this, but the problem is not solved until Congress takes away the old man’s car keys.”
Amanda Carpenter agreed, saying, “Now would be a good time for Congress to take its tariff power back.”
Several others saw the pause as a step in the right direction, allowing for potential trade improvements. @AGHamilton29 argued, “This still isn’t great for stability but at least it provides an opportunity to actually lower trade barriers instead of going to war with everyone.”
But others, like Frank J. Fleming, questioned the entire approach: “I just don’t get doing this when there was the thousand-times-better option of not doing this.”
Some worried that Trump’s handling of tariffs would continue to hurt U.S. credibility. Charles C. W. Cooke said, “Now would be a good moment for Congress to take back its absolute power over tariffs.”
While some celebrated the pause, others remained skeptical about the long-term impact, especially on U.S.-China relations. @NumbersMuncher wondered, “I’m glad Trump is folding on tariffs for the world, but the China problem is going to still have some massive implications…”
Carol Roth pointed out the mixed messaging, asking, “Ok, so with the pause we can all now agree that tariffs are punitive and free trade is good, and that it wasn’t about bringing back jobs, manufacturing or making lots of $, right?”
Noah Rothman criticized the constant back-and-forth, calling it a game. He added, “Congress must act. The last two weeks have shown that leaving trade policy in the hands of any president, much less one this mercurial, will still depress on domestic and foreign investment.”
Others focused on the bigger picture. Sarah Longwell warned, “Today’s market won’t measure the long-term damage Trump has done to the U.S. economy by destroying global trust in America that took generations to build.”
