Chuck Todd analyzes the sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, discussing their historic impact. He argues that free trade has made America safer and more prosperous and predicts significant political backlash for Trump and Republicans. He outlines key political developments to watch in the coming months, highlighting an opportunity for Democrats to regain control in Washington. He also examines how Trump’s promised tax cuts are now at risk, and why his presidency will be even more challenging.

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

3:20 America has benefitted massively from global trade 

4:20 The last time we had a similar tariff regime, it led to WW2

5:48 What political fallout will come from the tariffs?

6:32 Could congress take tariff authority back?

8:25 What to watch for the next 3-6 months

9:18 Trump faces huge blowback from older voters

10:18 The tariffs will tank Trump’s approval rating

11:52 Elected Republicans will be vulnerable

13:36 Trump has no guardrails

15:13 Alienating allies and partners will be incredibly damaging

16:39 The Republican party is courting disaster

19:46 Trump’s tax cuts are in jeopardy

21:05 Getting rid of the tariffs won’t solve the problem

21:50 If Democrats win the house, congress will take the tariffs keys away from the mad king