Economist Arthur Laffer praised President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy Wednesday on Newsmax, calling him a “master gamesman” in economic negotiations and hailing his impact on markets and trade.
Laffer, a prominent economist and longtime Trump ally, said Wednesday that Trump’s approach to tariffs shows his unmatched skill in economic negotiation.
“You’ve seen Donald Trump negotiating as no person ever has before,” Laffer told “Rob Schmitt Tonight.” “He’s just trying to get reciprocal tariff reduction on [other countries’] part. And he brought them to the table. And they’re coming to the table rapidly.”
Laffer said Trump’s recent pause in tariff escalation brought immediate relief to the markets, calling the reaction a clear signal of investor sentiment.
“You can just see how wonderful the market thinks of a pause. No one wants higher tariffs. No one does. The market especially hates it,” he said. “With this reprieve in sight, I mean, it was a great day in the market. You know, Trump really is a master gamesman.”
The economist’s comments came on a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged nearly 3,000 points, a historic rally tied to easing concerns over escalating trade tensions.
Laffer rejected the idea that Trump’s tariffs are aimed at long-term revenue generation, instead framing them as part of a broader strategy to secure better trade terms.
“I don’t know if they’re just a manipulation to try to get fair deals,” he said. “But it clearly is a very great negotiating tool for the president to use, and he’s been using it very effectively.”
He pointed to Trump’s use of tariffs and economic pressure in previous international dealings.
“He used it [them] in Panama to have the Chinese removed from both ends of the canal. He used it [them] in Canada and in Mexico, with regard to the cartels,” Laffer said. “He really knows how to use the tools at hand to negotiate great stuff.”
“He always is focused on making it better for the country and for trade and for economics,” he said. “And I think this is a classic example of Donald Trump doing what he does best of all: negotiation and getting the right answer coming out.”
Reflecting on Trump’s presidency, Laffer offered high praise, particularly for his first-term economic record.
“This man is a master at doing this. And this is why he’s as good a president as we ever had,” he said. “Now, I’m talking only in economics — in his first term as the single best U.S. president in history. It’s phenomenal.”
Looking ahead, Laffer suggested Trump could surpass even that mark.
“With this negotiation trying to get that ‘reciprocality’ in place, I think he has a chance of being the best president ever,” he said.
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