Trump responds as reporter asks ‘the best question’ he’s ‘ever been asked’
**Trump delighted by praise** for his tariff strategy during a White House press conference. When asked about economist Torsten Sløk’s claim that he “outsmarted everyone” with his trade policies, Trump called it “the best question I’ve ever been asked.”
**The president defended** his controversial tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, implemented after his January inauguration. Despite initial criticism, recent stock market highs (S&P 500 and Nasdaq) suggest economic strength under his approach.
**Trump mocked skeptics** who warned his tariffs could cause a recession. “I think they should go back to business school,” he said, boasting about billions in revenue from China and other nations without inflation.
**Sløk, Apollo Global’s chief economist**, originally warned tariffs might hurt the economy but recently reversed his stance. In a June 21 blog post, he suggested Trump’s strategy could actually reduce trade uncertainty long-term.
**The economist proposed** that maintaining tariffs while giving countries a year to adjust could stabilize markets. He estimated the policy might generate $400 billion in annual U.S. revenue while allowing trade partners to adapt.
**Trump embraced Sløk’s analysis** as vindication after years of “abuse” over his trade policies. The president emphasized that his approach has brought significant revenue without economic downturn.
**The exchange highlights** shifting perspectives on Trump’s tariffs. What critics once called reckless now appears to some as a calculated—and potentially successful—economic strategy.
