Facts and figures

WH Policy Director Stephen Miller on Fox: “The economy was on its deathbed when President Trump came into the Oval Office.”

Elon Musk’s AI app Grok was asked if Miller’s quote was accurate: “Based on key indicators, the economy performed strongly under Biden with average unemployment at 3.6% (2022-2023), inflation down to 2.4% by late 2024, and real GDP growth of 12.6% over his term. Currently (Aug 2025), unemployment is 4.2%, inflation 2.7%, and Q2 GDP growth 3.0%, but job gains slowed amid tariff impacts. Overall, Biden's era showed better stability in jobs and prices.”

The Telegraph: “Trump may have delivered a booming stock market, but economists warn he is pushing many sectors into recession. His working class MAGA support base will be the worst hit. Trump has succeeded in splitting the US economy in two: while Wall Street and Silicon Valley are booming, the rest of the country is suffering a redneck recession. The working classes who helped Trump return to the WH are now suffering. Many companies are also struggling. Small businesses, which do not have the cash reserves or economies of scale to absorb policy shocks, have been the hardest hit by Trump’s tariffs. On top of the trade war, small companies are also wrestling with Trump’s immigration crackdown and cuts to govt grants.”

Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi: “Manufacturing is in recession. Construction is in a deep recession. Transportation and distribution is in recession. Wholesaling is in recession. Retail is holding on by its thumbs, it’s very close. The industries that are going to get nailed, they’re the kind of working class, low-to-middle income kind of job.”

[...]

John Arensmeyer, CEO of the Small Business Majority: “Small businesses are just being hammered by these tariffs. The tariffs themselves are cutting into their profit margins, but also it’s the uncertainty.”

Meanwhile, Trump was maniacally posting on Truth Social: “IT’S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”

Later: “Tariffs are flowing into the USA at levels not thought even possible!”

  Meidas Plus

Fucking insane.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “Tariffs are nothing more than hidden taxes, and it’s KY’s bourbon industry and farmers who are left footing the bill. We’ve never supported a higher sales tax, so why back tariffs that punish already struggling Americans? The time has come to put a stop to these job-killing, industry-crushing taxes before they do even more damage.”

Rand's party isn't listening.

An analysis of SEVIS and State Dept data predicts a potential 30–40% decline in new international student enrollment, contributing to a 15% drop in overall enrollment this fall. Such an outcome would deprive local economies of $7 billion in spending and more than 60,000 jobs.”

Treasury Sec Scott Bessent went on MSNBC and was interviewed by Eugene Robinson, who was the first one able to get anyone from the admin to admit that US importers are paying the tariffs: “Q - Who writes the check to the Treasury? Bessent - Well, the check is written to the person who receives it at the dock at the US. Q - So the tariff is paid in this country by the importer, right? Bessent - Yes, but the exporter could decide to lower the price to lower the cost.”

Or sell to another country.

Reuters: “Spain is no longer considering the option of buying US-made F-35 fighter jets and is choosing between European-made Eurofighter and the so-called Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The F-35 is manufactured by US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. The govt had earmarked 7.24 billion in its 2023 budget to buy new fighter jets.”

Trump said he is now considering a 100% tariff on Spain since they are part of BRICS and not covered by the agreement with the EU. Except that they are NOT part of BRICS and are in the EU.

We're fucked.