Donald Trump slapped massive tariffs across dozens of nations that he said – contrary to most economists’ opinions – would boost the American economy and bring manufacturing back to the US
Donald Trump made an outrageous move by taking a day off after plunging markets around the world into chaos with his wild tariffs that crashed the global economy.
Mr Trump sent shockwaves through the global economy on Wednesday when he announced staggering tariffs on the UK, European Union, China and dozens of other countries. Already China has said it will slap tariffs on US goods entering the country in response – a move that could devastate American companies and the agricultural sector. But as markets tumbled and the apprehension of the impact it would have on American wallets set in, Mr Trump decided to take a day off to play golf.
The Republican, a keen golfer, woke up in his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday and headed to his favoured course. He then posted on social media: “This is a great time to get rich.”
He had already spent the Thursday in Miami at one of his golf courses where he attended a Saudi-funded tournament. He landed at the site in Marine One – a Marine Corps aircraft that carries the president – before being picked up in a golf cart by his son Eric.
Mr Trump spent a significant time on the golf course during his first presidency. He is estimated to have played 261 rounds of golf during his first presidency, or one every 5.6 days, according to the Washington Post.
According to the website TrumpGolfTrack, which keeps track of the number of days Mr Trump has spent golfing during his second presidency, he has been on the green for 19 days out of his first 75 days in office – or 25.3 per cent.
It is unclear whether Mr Trump’s massive tax hike will impact his favourability, which recently slipped to its lowest point during his second term in the White House. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Wednesday revealed the Republican’s approval rating had fallen to 43 per cent. This represented a four-point drop since he took office on January 20.
With tariffs expected to increase prices for American consumers, it is possible that Mr Trump’s approval ratings fall further. There are also fears among investors and consumer experts that the US could enter a potential recession.
With the full extent of the tariffs set to bite, Democrats have slammed Mr Trump for being in what they branded a “billionaire bubble”. Minority leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer said millions watched their investments stall.
“While the American people are trying to put food on the table, I see that Donald Trump’s out there playing golf,” said Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat Senator for New Mexico. “The president should be listening to people across the country. Maybe he should go into a grocery store, do some walking, talking folks.”
