Eric Trump Ranting About Tariffs Shows He Has No Clue How His Dad's Policies Work: “Not Gonna...”

Eric Trump’s appearance on Fox News was making waves a while ago—but not for the reasons he might have hoped. His impassioned defense of his father Donald Trump’s tariff policies has drawn widespread criticism, not just for its feisty delivery, but for Eric’s apparent misunderstanding of how tariffs work. In a bizarre rant targeting Mexico, Canada, and China, Eric declared that tariffs would cost these countries 'billions, hundreds of billions' if they allowed illegal drugs to cross into the U.S. However, his rhetoric seemed to conflate tariffs with sanctions, leaving critics and economists alike scratching their heads.

As per The Independent, the controversy began when Eric outlined his father’s plans to impose hefty tariffs on the aforementioned countries if they didn’t curb the flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the U.S. He exclaimed, “You want to allow drugs to come through our southern border? We’re going to tariff you. You want to allow them to come through Canada? We’re gonna tariff you. China…We are gonna cost your countries, your economies, we’re gonna cost your businesses billions. Hundreds of billions of dollars… It’s not gonna happen."

Eric added, "You’re not gonna destroy our youth, you’re not gonna destroy our society, you’re not gonna destroy our families. You’re not gonna do it, it’s going to cost you, I’m gonna put an end to it.” However, he seemed painfully unaware that tariffs are paid by importers—in this case, American businesses—rather than the exporting countries themselves.

Economists have also long pointed out that while tariffs can influence trade dynamics, they often lead to higher prices for consumers as companies pass the costs down the supply chain. Catherine Rampell, a political commentator, highlighted how these measures could skyrocket the prices of everyday goods, from Mexican avocados to Canadian lumber. Eric’s fiery rhetoric ignored these realities, instead portraying tariffs as a punishment that would exclusively harm foreign countries. 

Furthermore, Eric's comments ignited ridicule on social media. Many users questioned his grasp of basic economic principles. One user noted, "He does not know what the word means." Another user remarked, "Reminds me of the gifts Ivanka got from China." In agreement, someone else added, "That may be the stupidest:40 Eric has ever done on TV…and that’s really saying something." Someone else echoed a similar sentiment, "Tariffs will resolve all these issues, but it’ll screw American consumers even more. For supposed financial wizards, these guys are just dumb."

As per The New York Post, Eric also reflected on his father’s political resurgence, claiming Donald is in a stronger position now than he would have been had he won in 2020. Eric argued, “I mean think about it…If he had won in 2020, we wouldn’t have the Senate like we do now. We may not have had the House either. He may have been stuck in this lame-duck wasteland. It’s been an incredibly difficult time getting here for him and our entire family. But he’s here now. They didn’t want him in 2020, and so they get him now. Be careful what you wish for.”