Trump responds as reporter asks ‘the best question’ he’s ‘ever been asked’

During a White House press conference, President Donald Trump praised a reporter’s question about economist Torsten Sløk’s recent reversal on Trump’s tariff policies, calling it the “best question” he had ever been asked.

The inquiry referenced Sløk’s surprising acknowledgment that Trump may have “outsmarted everyone” with his trade strategy. When Trump took office in January, he swiftly imposed tariffs on key partners like Canada, Mexico, and China, later extending them globally.

While the move drew criticism, recent economic data shows U.S. markets booming, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching record highs on June 27. Sløk, once a vocal critic, had previously warned that tariffs could lead to recession and mass layoffs.

At the conference, Trump expressed satisfaction with the turnaround, saying critics had underestimated him. “We’re taking in hundreds of billions of dollars, no inflation whatsoever,” he said, defending the tariff approach.

When asked what message he had for those who doubted the policy, Trump replied bluntly, “They should go back to business school,” stressing the financial gains from foreign tariffs.

Sløk, writing in a June 21 blog post, explained that Trump’s strategy might now involve sustaining tariffs—30% on China and 10% globally—while allowing time for nations to lower trade barriers.

He concluded that this could generate $400 billion annually for U.S. taxpayers and benefit both global trade and the U.S. economy. Sløk admitted Trump’s approach might indeed have been smarter than many originally believed.