In response, Brian Tyler Cohen shared a similar sentiment about avoiding bold economic predictions. “If I were good at predicting outcomes, Hillary Clinton would have been president in 2016,” Cohen joked, illustrating the unpredictability of both politics and the economy.
Maher’s evolving view on Trump’s tariff policy marks a significant shift. Back in April, he criticized Trump’s trade approach with China, describing it as “completely ass-backwards” and even expressing hope for a recession to force a policy reversal. At that time, Maher stated, “He picked a fight with the wrong bully,” referring to China as a formidable economic opponent.
Even earlier, in a March episode of his HBO show Real Time, Maher questioned Trump’s emphasis on reviving American manufacturing. “Why do we want to bring back manufacturing? That’s so 70s,” he quipped. “China is moving into AI, and Trump wants us back in factories making jeans for $11.”
Despite Maher’s criticisms, Trump continued to pursue his tariff-based trade strategy, arguing that it was necessary to protect American jobs and rebalance what he described as “unfair” global trade deals. Indeed, Trump imposed a wide array of tariffs during his presidency, particularly targeting Chinese imports. Supporters claimed the move leveled the playing field for American businesses, while critics feared long-term economic fallout.
More recently, to avoid escalating tensions into a full-blown trade war, Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached a trade agreement. The deal included a 15% tariff on most European Union goods imported into the U.S., signaling continued use of tariffs as a negotiating tool in international trade.
Maher’s recent remarks suggest a growing recognition, even among some of Trump’s staunchest critics, that certain policies may not have played out as destructively as initially predicted — or in MAGA terms, ‘so much winning!’
