Trump's tariff turmoil: White House in chaos ahead of "Liberation Day'
"No one knows what ... is going on," said someone close to Donald Trump, discussing the situation leading up to the so-called "liberation day" in the U.S., slated for April 2nd. That's when new tariffs are supposed to be introduced. And that's basically all that's known. Even J.D. Vance, someone very close to Trump, doesn't know much more about it.
- The White House is reportedly mired in informational chaos ahead of Trump's announced "liberation day".
- The confusion revolves around the extent and the countries for which Trump intends to introduce additional tariffs.
- Even the president's closest associates are reportedly unaware of the details and are concerned that the implementation could further harm the economy.
"No one knows what ... is going on"—this is how one of the people closest to Donald Trump, quoted anonymously by Politico, described the situation in the White House. The lack of information pertains to market regulations and tariffs, which the U.S. president has announced for April 2nd.
"What are they going to tariff? Who are they gonna tariff and at what rates? Like, the very basic questions haven’t been answered yet," a Politico informant indicated, illustrating the chaos caused by Trump's recent announcements.
The U.S. president's radical economic decisions are causing evident concern among his advisors. Politico writes that even Vice President J.D. Vance and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles reportedly admit they are unsure of Trump's next steps.
Is Trump's confidence just for show?
"The White House is projecting confidence publicly," write Politico journalists. Nevertheless, many administration officials and top allies outside fear that implementing the new regulations next week could be just as challenging as imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.
Introducing tariffs, which Trump calls "Liberation Day," could—according to Politico journalists—further worsen the economic situation, which has been deteriorating since the administrative change in Washington. Although the stock market has recently rebounded somewhat, the situation remains dire.
As the Department of Commerce revealed on Friday, inflation rose last month at a rate higher than expected, even before a potential influx of higher prices resulting from massive tariffs.
"Liberation day" in the USA
What exactly has Trump planned for April 2nd? He mentioned it would be a "liberation day." However, what that means is unknown to anyone. More tariffs can be expected, which the U.S. president called "reciprocal," as they supposedly aim to equalize the rates applied by other countries. However, it's unclear which specific countries will be affected.
When asked if any countries could avoid the tariffs, Trump suggested they could.
"I may give a lot of countries breaks. It’s reciprocal, but we might be even nicer than that," he said at the announcement of Hyundai's plant construction in Louisiana. He claimed the Korean giant's announcement is proof that the tariffs imposed by his administration are effective.
"I think it would be a mistake to think next week all of a sudden we’re going to get a bunch of clarity," said Tom Graff, Director of Investments at the financial advisory firm Facet, to Politico. "I’m sure they’re trying to reset with financial markets and build some certainty, but I don’t think the president is going to have a personality transplant," he joked.
