'He has never done a hot second of economic analysis': Senator Chris Murphy on how Trump is using tariffs as a political weapon

Senator Chris Murphy criticizes President Trump's tariffs as a political tool for exerting control rather than a genuine economic strategy. He highlights the incoherence of Trump's approach, noting that it targets both adversaries and allies. Murphy suggests that Trump's actions illustrate a broader agenda to compel loyalty from institutions and undermine democratic principles, arguing that the tariffs are a method for pressuring businesses to align with his political interests. Ultimately, Murphy warns that the true motive behind these tariffs is to erode democratic norms and foster autocratic governance.

"First, it makes no sense as economic policy. Economists cannot understand the formula. They can't understand the strategy."

"So at some point, I think you have to sort of understand what the central story is. The central story is not improving people's lives, it's converting our democracy to autocracy."

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