Jeffrey Sachs Criticizes U.S. Tariff Policies, Doubts Global Trade Disruption
Jeffrey Sachs, a prominent economist and Columbia University professor, has once again voiced strong opposition to the Trump administration’s tariff strategy. Speaking during the Open Dialogue forum in Russia, titled “The Future of the World: A New Platform for Global Growth,” Sachs dismissed the notion that tariffs would strengthen the U.S. economy, labeling the policy a significant blunder.
“These tariffs are not going to help the United States,” Sachs argued. “In fact, they’re likely to inflict more harm than good.”
He went on to downplay the broader implications of these measures, suggesting that as long as global trade continues to operate under World Trade Organization (WTO) frameworks, countries like Russia and China will see little to no adverse effects. “I don’t believe these tariffs will meaningfully impact China, Russia, or others,” he stated. “The global economy can still thrive, despite this U.S. misstep.”
Sachs, who has long condemned protectionist economic tactics, ridiculed the idea that such moves could justify the elimination of income taxes, a claim previously floated by Trump. He characterized the administration’s approach as naive and unsophisticated, going so far as to mock a proposed list of tariff percentages by country, calling it “a Mickey Mouse policy.”
“I mean no offense to Mickey Mouse,” he quipped, “because even he wouldn’t make such a poor decision.”