Peter Morici

Europe is Secretary Bessent’s most important, toughest trade challenge

President Trump and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to fast-track trade negotiations, and I don't envy America's chief strategist, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

June 3, 2025

Trump’s tariffs will boost inflation; here’s how to protect your investments

President Trump is reshaping the American economy around populist themes -- less government, protectionism and limits on immigration -- and these should be weighed in managing your long-term investments.

May 27, 2025

British trade deal shows the limits of Trump’s tariff strategy

Treasury Secretary Bessent has emerged as the principal architect of the Trump 2.0 economy and the reengineer of U.S. trade.

May 20, 2025

To dodge a recession, congressional Republicans should speed Trump’s tax cuts

Congress should support President Trump by passing a "big, beautiful" tax bill now.

May 13, 2025

How Secretary Bessent could encircle China

President Trump's trade war threatens renewed inflation, slower growth, permanently elevated interest rates and lower stock prices.

May 6, 2025

Scott Bessent has the right idea to rescue Trump’s trade strategy

President Trump's trade war isn't going well. His tariffs are producing results, but not those most Americans want.

April 29, 2025

A Mar-a-Largo accord to fix U.S. trade, end global dollar dependence

Elon Musk likes to move fast and break things, whereas President Trump prefers to throw a few grenades and see where the pieces fall.

April 22, 2025

Trump’s tariffs boost Democrats’ prospects for winning big in the midterms

President Trump is wagering tariffs on Republican majorities in Congress.

April 15, 2025

Trump’s tariffs are hardly novel but will make everyone worse off

President Trump's tariffs and protectionism are hardly new among presidents.

April 8, 2025

Federal Reserve faces Trump pressure amid inflation concerns

These are perilous times for the Federal Reserve.

April 1, 2025

A recession could leave Americans humming ‘Oh, Canada’

President Donald Trump's convincing victory and mandate ignited optimism for more stock market gains, continued economic growth, and higher inflation.

March 25, 2025

Runaway federal deficits threaten the dollar’s global status much more than the BRICS

President Trump has threatened punitive tariffs on BRIC nations for exploring alternatives to the dollar for international payments.

March 18, 2025

Six economic Black Swans that could trigger a recession under Trump

Recession risks are emerging as consumers grow pessimistic, and the COVID-19 recovery is increasingly driven by the wealthiest 10% of households by their stock market gains.

March 11, 2025

Reciprocal tariffs would be Trump’s undoing

President Trump's radical shifts in economic policies will leave America isolated and ignite the kind of inflation that undermined the credibility of the Biden-Harris administration.

March 4, 2025

Fixing America’s broken health care system

The assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson triggered a disturbing avalanche of sympathy for the suspected murderer, often laced with sarcasm about health insurance systems.

February 25, 2025

Trump’s policies undercut the Fed’s fight with inflation

The Federal Reserve is holding the federal funds rate steady while looking for signs that inflation is moving closer to 2% but the bond market is betting President Trump will undercut its efforts.

February 18, 2025