Donald Trump has a knack for making the so-called experts look foolish, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the ongoing debate over tariffs. The political and economic elite have ridiculed Trump’s approach, insisting that his tough stance on trade would backfire, cause a recession and cripple the U.S. economy. Yet despite all the apocalyptic predictions, the economy hasn’t gone south, and predictions of a looming recession have been quietly walked back.
Recently, a prominent anti-Trump economist admitted what many on the right have been saying from the beginning: Trump’s tariff strategy wasn’t the reckless gamble the media made it out to be. Instead, it was a calculated move designed to protect American workers, revive domestic manufacturing, and put America’s interests first.
A prominent Wall Street economist who had slammed President Trump’s tariffs earlier this year now says that the president may have “outsmarted all of us” with his controversial trade policies.
Torsten Sløk, chief economist at investment giant Apollo Global Management, said that while the uncertainty surrounding trade policy has already started to weigh on the economy, Trump could lower tariffs on most of the US trading partners while using the levies to boost federal revenue.
Sløk suggested in a recently posted analysis that the administration’s approach may be more strategic than previously thought.
The optimistic outlook stands in stark contrast to his earlier position.
In April, Sløk warned that Trump’s tariffs could trigger a recession by summer, particularly harming American small businesses and potentially halting the flow of goods from China to the US, leading to layoffs and a broader economic slowdown.
Let’s be honest—Trump’s critics never gave him a fair shake. They scoffed at his insistence that America was getting fleeced by China and other trading partners. They dismissed his warnings about the hollowing out of our industrial base. They mocked his promise to bring jobs back to the heartland. But now, even some of the most respected voices in economics are forced to admit that Trump’s tariffs have delivered results that the so-called experts said were impossible.
Now, economists such as Sløk have egg on their faces.
“Extending the deadline one year would give countries and US domestic businesses time to adjust to the new world with permanently higher tariffs,” Sløk writes. “It would also result in an immediate decline in uncertainty, which would be positive for business planning, employment, and financial markets.”
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He added, “This would seem like a victory for the world and yet would produce $400 billion of annual revenue for US taxpayers. Trade partners will be happy with only 10% tariffs and US tax revenue will go up. Maybe the administration has outsmarted all of us.”
The reality is that Trump’s tariffs leveled the playing field. For decades, American workers have been forced to compete with countries that exploit cheap labor, ignore environmental standards, and manipulate their currencies. The globalist consensus—championed by both parties in Washington—left our factories shuttered and our communities devastated. Trump dared to challenge that consensus, and the results speak for themselves.
Manufacturing jobs have made a comeback. Wages for blue-collar workers have risen. And, perhaps most importantly, America has regained leverage on the world stage. Trump’s willingness to use tariffs as a bargaining chip forced our trading partners to the negotiating table and secured better deals for American workers.
Trump’s approach wasn’t about starting trade wars for the sake of it—it was about restoring American strength. He understood that economic power is national power, and he wasn’t afraid to use every tool at his disposal to protect American interests. The fact that even his critics are now coming around to his way of thinking is a testament to his vision and leadership.
The lesson here is simple: the experts aren’t always right, and sometimes it takes an outsider to see what the insiders can’t—or won’t—admit. Trump’s tariff policy was never the reckless gamble his opponents claimed. It was a bold, unapologetic defense of American workers and American industry. And as the evidence mounts, it’s clear that Trump outsmarted his critics—especially the so-called experts who never saw it coming.
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