Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher publicly acknowledged on his Club Random podcast Monday that his past predictions about President Donald Trump’s tariff policies leading to economic collapse have not come true, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.
During the episode, Maher referred to his earlier assumptions about the economic impact of Trump’s trade strategy, saying:
Maher continued, “Now, it could happen tomorrow. I’m just saying that’s reality. The truth is, I don’t know what his strategy is. But look, the stock market is at record highs.”
“I know not everybody lives by the stock market, but I also drive around. I don’t see a country in a depression at all. I see people out there just living their lives.”
“I gotta own it — that these tariffs were going to fucking sink this economy by this time — and they didn’t.”
Despite widespread concern among economists that the tariffs imposed under Trump’s trade agenda would trigger inflation and economic slowdown, several major indicators have shown continued strength.
According to the Federal Reserve Board, U.S. manufacturing output increased by 0.1% in June, following a revised 0.3% rise in May.
Additionally, jobless claims for the week ending July 19 fell by 4,000, the sixth consecutive weekly drop, reaching a three-month low, according to Reuters.
Retail sales also saw a rebound in June, increasing by 0.6% based on advance estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on July 17.
President Trump, currently serving his second term, has continued to pursue trade deals that support American industry and jobs.
Recent agreements have been reached with the European Union, Japan, and the Philippines, further bolstering the administration’s economic agenda.
Maher’s comments reflect a shift among some critics who had forecast dire consequences from Trump’s approach to trade policy.
Despite ongoing debates in Washington and among economists, current data suggests the administration’s strategy has not resulted in the economic downturn many predicted.
