Trump Former Advisor Backtracks: Tariffs Are Essentially a "Stealth Tax" or Drag on the Economy and Employment
BlockBeats News, December 31st - Stephen Moore, a conservative economist who served as a senior economic advisor during Trump's first term, recently publicly questioned the Trump administration's large-scale tariff policy, calling it essentially a "hidden tax" on consumers that could drag down economic growth and weaken employment.
Moore stated, "Tariffs are taxes, and taxes are never a good thing," a stance that starkly contrasts with his past support for trade protectionism. He pointed out that although tariffs are seen by the government as a tool to revitalize manufacturing and fund tax cuts, their costs often end up being passed on to consumers, driving up prices and exacerbating inflation.
Multiple research institutions have shown that a new round of tariff policy to be implemented by 2025 could increase the tax burden by around $1.2 trillion over the next decade, leading to a roughly 0.4% decline in U.S. GDP and a reduction of 344,000 jobs. Moore also acknowledged that the regressive nature of tariffs would have a greater impact on low- and middle-income families.
Moore called for targeted, time-limited tariff implementation if continued, while also advocating for quick tax cuts to offset the negative impact. His shift in position is seen by observers as a sign of deepening internal divides within the Trump camp between free-market principles and trade protectionism, adding uncertainty to the direction of U.S. economic policy in 2026.
You may also like

Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum
Key Takeaways XRP’s potential as a replacement for SWIFT is bolstered by regulatory approvals, potentially driving its price…

XRP Price Prediction: XRP is Outpacing Solana and Targeting Binance Coin Next – Should You Invest Now?
Key Takeaways XRP Ledger has moved into the sixth place by tokenized real-world asset value, surpassing Solana and…

New AI Predicts the Price of XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana By 2026
Key Takeaways ChatGPT anticipates significant price increases for XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana by the end of 2026. XRP…

Arthur Hayes Shares Two Scenarios for Bitcoin Price, Calling for a Major Crypto Rally
Key Takeaways Arthur Hayes predicts a significant crypto rally fueled by a $572 billion liquidity injection from the…

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Abu Dhabi Gov Funds Buy $1 Billion in BTC – What Do They Know?
Key Takeaways Abu Dhabi has revealed a $1 billion stake in Bitcoin through major ETF investments, signaling strong…

Bitcoin’s Divergence From Nasdaq Signals Dollar Liquidity Risk, Says Arthur Hayes
Key Takeaways Arthur Hayes highlights a concerning divergence between Bitcoin and the Nasdaq, pointing to a potential dollar…

Lagarde’s Possible Early Exit Could Alter Digital Euro Plans and Stablecoin Oversight
Key Takeaways Christine Lagarde’s potential departure as ECB president may disrupt the digital euro timeline and stablecoin policies.…

HYLQ Strategy Invests in Hyperliquid Quantum Solutions Pioneer qLABS, Acquires 18,333,334 qONE Tokens
Key Takeaways HYLQ Strategy Corp has made a strategic investment in qLABS, purchasing over 18 million qONE tokens…

WLFI Crypto Surges Toward $0.12 as Whale Purchase Precedes Trump-Linked Forum
Key Takeaways Whale accumulation has spurred a rally in WLFI crypto prices, reaching towards $0.12 ahead of a…

Cathie Wood Reverses Path with $6.9 Million Purchase in Coinbase Stock – Is ARK Strategizing a Rebound?
Key Takeaways ARK Invest acquires 41,453 shares of Coinbase, showing renewed interest post recent divestment. This acquisition by…

Crypto Lobby Establishes Working Group to Advocate for Prediction Market Regulatory Clarity
Key Takeaways The Digital Chamber announced the Prediction Markets Working Group to promote federal oversight of prediction markets.…

Peter Thiel Discreetly Withdraws from Ethereum Treasury Venture ETHZilla – A Cautionary Note for the DAT Model?
Key Takeaways Peter Thiel and Founders Fund have completely exited their position in ETHZilla. Thiel’s withdrawal raises questions…

Coin Center Advocates Protecting Crypto Developer Liability
Key Takeaways Coin Center is actively lobbying the U.S. Senate to safeguard crypto developer liability protections. The ongoing…

$150B in US Tax Refunds Could Catalyze Fresh Crypto Inflows, Historical Trends Indicate
Key Takeaways The IRS anticipates distributing approximately $150 billion in tax refunds to U.S. consumers by the end…

Oracle Error Leads DeFi Lender Moonwell to $1.8 Million in Bad Debt
Key Takeaways A critical oracle pricing glitch caused Moonwell to incur nearly $1.8 million in bad debt. The…

Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Solana, Dogecoin
Key Takeaways XRP targets a $5 move, driven by its role as an alternative to SWIFT for cross-border…

China’s DeepSeek AI Predicts the Price of XRP, PEPE, and Shiba Inu By the End of 2026
Key Takeaways DeepSeek AI suggests significant potential price increases for XRP, PEPE, and Shiba Inu by 2026. XRP…

XRP Battles Key Support Amid Grayscale Sentiment Surge
Key Takeaways XRP has experienced a 29% price drop recently, creating a tense atmosphere among traders eyeing key…
Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum
Key Takeaways XRP’s potential as a replacement for SWIFT is bolstered by regulatory approvals, potentially driving its price…
XRP Price Prediction: XRP is Outpacing Solana and Targeting Binance Coin Next – Should You Invest Now?
Key Takeaways XRP Ledger has moved into the sixth place by tokenized real-world asset value, surpassing Solana and…
New AI Predicts the Price of XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana By 2026
Key Takeaways ChatGPT anticipates significant price increases for XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana by the end of 2026. XRP…
Arthur Hayes Shares Two Scenarios for Bitcoin Price, Calling for a Major Crypto Rally
Key Takeaways Arthur Hayes predicts a significant crypto rally fueled by a $572 billion liquidity injection from the…
Bitcoin Price Prediction: Abu Dhabi Gov Funds Buy $1 Billion in BTC – What Do They Know?
Key Takeaways Abu Dhabi has revealed a $1 billion stake in Bitcoin through major ETF investments, signaling strong…
Bitcoin’s Divergence From Nasdaq Signals Dollar Liquidity Risk, Says Arthur Hayes
Key Takeaways Arthur Hayes highlights a concerning divergence between Bitcoin and the Nasdaq, pointing to a potential dollar…