The U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that the United States will reap significant financial rewards from his administration’s tariff policies, predicting that the country will become “so rich” and generate “hundreds of billions of dollars” through the tariffs.
His comments come amid mounting concerns about a possible economic downturn linked to ongoing trade policies.
Speaking during an interview on Fox Business’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump addressed the possibility of a recession stemming from his administration’s aggressive tariff measures.
While acknowledging that the tariffs could cause “a little disturbance,” he maintained that the long-term benefits would outweigh any short-term economic disruptions.
“All I know is…we’re going to take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we are going to become so rich you are not going to know where to spend all that money,” Trump stated. “We are going to have jobs. We are going to have open factories. It’s going to be great.”
The U.S. administration recently implemented a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from major trading partners, including Canada and Mexico, effective from Wednesday.
According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the tariffs are designed to protect American industries and stimulate economic growth by promoting domestic manufacturing. Lutnick dismissed recession fears, arguing that the tariffs would eventually lower prices and strengthen the economy.
Despite these assurances, the new tariffs have sparked volatility in the financial markets, with the S&P 500 index dropping by 2% amid fears of escalating trade tensions.
Several businesses have raised concerns about potential disruptions to supply chains and rising costs, attributing the instability to the uncertainty surrounding tariff policies.
Meanwhile, the administration’s stance has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers. Senator Elissa Slotkin criticized the approach, urging for more predictable trade policies that do not harm American businesses and consumers.
She emphasized the importance of developing a balanced strategy that addresses trade issues without compromising economic stability