With tariff turnaround, Trump shows he's the most brilliant president in history | Opinion
It's difficult to find a moment in presidential history that measures up to the intellectual marvel that was Trump's near destruction of our economy and then his swift and gainless tariff reversal.
Rex HuppkeIt’s clear from President Donald Trump’s decision to pause the sweeping global tariffs that he said he would never back down from that the man is a formidable genius and arguably the greatest president in American history.
After seeing U.S. financial markets plummet and the threat of a recession grow exponentially, Trump decided on April 9 to lower his tariffs on most other countries to 10% for 90 days. Boldly getting nothing in return for negotiating against himself over the trade war he started. Trump ended the day bragging about how the markets had soared and recovered some of what they had lost over the previous days.
“We were up like close to 3,000 points,” Trump said. “Nobody has ever seen a day like that. I think that's a record, isn't it, fellas?”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dutifully responded: “Definitely.”
Amazing!
Name a president who uselessly burned up money better than Trump
Since Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs April 2 on “Liberation Day,” the Dow Jones average had lost about 5,000 points, so regaining 3,000 points and bragging about it was definitely a day like nobody has ever seen.
In terms of presidential successes, it reminded me of the time President William Howard Taft threw $5,000 into a fire for no particular reason, then reached in and pulled out $3,000, severely burning his hand and convincing those around him he was insane. It was tactically brilliant.
But it wasn’t “Art of the Deal” brilliant like Trump’s tariff gambit.
It was 'the greatest economic master strategy' by a president ever
Billionaire Bill Ackman praised Trump on social media for pausing the tariffs: “This was brilliantly executed by @realDonaldTrump. Textbook, Art of the Deal.”
Presidential adviser Stephen Miller wrote on X: “You have been watching the greatest economic master strategy from an American President in history.”
Republican Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah told Fox Business: “I think America needs to recognize we're in a remarkable moment. We have an actual genius of an entrepreneur ... and one that loves our country.”
So true. It’s difficult to find another moment in American presidential history that measures up to the intellectual marvel that was Trump’s near destruction of our economy and then his swift and gainless tariff reversal.
McKinley burning down the White House wasn't quite Trump-level smart
There was the time President Gerald Ford ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dig a 600-foot hole in the middle of a Kansas interstate for no reason and then fill it two-thirds of the way back up. Many at the time said Ford was a genius hole strategist, but I don’t think that can compare with Trump’s achievement.
And everyone remembers how President William McKinley, at the behest of no one, burned the White House to the ground so a smaller, less-good White House could be built in its place. Many in his Cabinet said at the time that the act of arson was “brilliantly executed” and “the greatest fire ever intentionally set by a president for no reason.”
Perhaps the closest comparison one can make with Trump’s tariff turnaround involves President Ronald Reagan. In 1986, on a whim, he had Attorney General Edwin Meese carved into sandwich-size slices and transferred to the White House kitchen's refrigerator. About 20% of the Meese meat fell off the cart and onto the floor, where it was swiftly eaten by Reagan's dog Lucky.
Later that day, the president ordered the remaining Meese slices returned to the Oval Office, telling members of his Cabinet: “I don’t think any president has ever had this much Meese brought into his office in one day. It’s gotta be some kind of record, isn't it fellas?”
To which then-Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige said: “Definitely.”
'Trump triumphant'? Absolutely. Believe what you want to believe, baby.
It was a remarkable moment, one that demonstrated Reagan was an actual genius.
But it was still nothing compared with Trump’s genius, which Geraldo Rivera praised mightily April 9 on MSNBC: “I think this is Trump triumphant. I think this is Trump at his best.”
Clearly the best president ever, folks. No U.S. leader has ever lost so much for no reason while regaining some of it and accomplishing nothing with such efficiency.
Art of the deal!
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk