Transcript: Trump Wrecks Own Case for Tariffs in Truly Weird Tirade

Sargent: To circle back to where this all started, Trump just revealed yet again that the whole thing is really absurd. So we talked earlier about how he recently threatened tariffs on European countries because they weren’t letting him annex Greenland.

And then, as soon as they started entering into talks with Donald Trump about giving him some sort of fig-leaf access to Greenland that would allow him to claim that he won something, he then immediately said the tariffs are on hold. So what happened to the economic emergency, Steve?

Benen: It was an elusive emergency. You know, it was here one minute, and the next thing you know, you turn around and the emergency is gone. I don’t know. It’s either, you know, check between the couch cushions. Maybe he dropped it.

Sargent: Yes. Well, just to close this out: if he can get away with this—this buffoonishly and obviously ridiculous...—and the entire Republican Party lets him get away with it, and the Supreme Court lets him get away with it, where the hell are we?

Benen: Yeah, I think under those circumstances, we would be looking at a breakdown of American governance at crisis levels that should cause widespread concern and real anxiety among American people, because there is no defense for those circumstances. There is no way to rationalize. There’s no way to defend. There is no way to see this as anything other than a genuine crisis of American governance.

Sargent: Because the tariffs, when it really comes down to it—and they’re rarely described this way in the press—are an enormous abuse of power, and no institution in American governance is stopping him from doing it. That’s what the story would be if at the end of the day the Supreme Court upholds the tariffs after he’s essentially given the middle finger to the entire world about them.

Benen: Yeah, my hope and expectation is that the Supreme Court will not go along with that one, will not follow that path, will realize that there needs to be a check because they still have some responsibilities to the law, despite recent history. But if I’m mistaken, then you and I should talk again, and we will commiserate accordingly.

Sargent: Sounds like a great plan, Steve Benen. Thanks so much for coming on, always great to talk to you.

Benen: Thank you.