President Donald J. Trump assured us that consumer prices would drop the moment he took office—possibly even on Day 1.
So, you can imagine my surprise when, after spending $17,000 on groceries at prices that were not lower, I heard him tell NBC’s Meet the Press that he “couldn’t care less” if his tariffs caused car prices to rise.
Tariff Economics: Where Up Somehow Means Down?
I hate to nitpick, but “up” is the opposite of “down,” and “down” was the direction prices were supposed to go. Modern cars—even those made in America—are built with parts from all over the world.
So, tariffs will push prices higher across the board. And again, just to be clear, “up” is not the same as “down.”
It’s frustrating that the president doesn’t seem to care about tariffs making everything more expensive.
His economic “strategy” has already led to an increase in the Federal Reserve’s key inflation metric and a sharp decline in consumer confidence, according to the University of Michigan’s latest report.
Tariffs Are Tax Cuts? That’s Not How This Works
The president insists that tariffs will make America rich, and White House aide Peter Navarro went as far as to claim, “Tariffs are tax cuts.”
That’s interesting. When exactly should I expect my tax cut?
According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s 25% auto tariff will raise car prices by an average of 13.5%—that’s an extra $6,400 on the price of a typical 2024 vehicle.
Even U.S. automakers, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, admit that tariffs will cost them billions, and we all know who will ultimately foot the bill: consumers like me.
Which, just to clarify, is the opposite of getting a tax cut.
Trump Cares About Tariffs—Not About Us
Navarro didn’t stop there. He declared, “Tariffs are jobs. Tariffs are national security. Tariffs will make America great again.”
By this logic, tariffs are also happiness, world peace, and the American Dream wrapped in a bow. Maybe they even cure the common cold.
But in reality, tariffs are just making everything more expensive for regular people.
When Will Tariffs Make Us Rich?
So, I ask again: When should I expect my payout from all this tariff wealth? Will I get a check in the mail, or should I expect direct deposit?
Because right now, my reality looks like this: overpaying for a car, driving that overpriced car to an overpriced grocery store, and watching the president, who promised economic prosperity, shrug and say he “couldn’t care less.”
Frankly, it’s a little irritating. Please send my tariff tax-break money as soon as possible.
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