Anthony Scaramucci, the outspoken investment banker and former White House Communications Director, criticized the Trump administration's enduring trade disputes, arguing the tariffs ultimately hurt the American people.
"The current trade war and the strategy of using tariffs is a flawed strategy," Scaramucci told Cheddar on Tuesday.
Scaramucci said that tariffs, which are essentially taxes, especially hurt Americans making less that $100,000 annually. "They eat up their living standards," he said.
Scaramucci is a prominent New York financier and the founder of Skybridge Capital. He served a brief stint as White House Communications Director in 2017, which gave him what he called an "11-day PhD" on Washington culture. His tenure was cut extremely short after he gave an interview to The New Yorker in which he criticized other members of the administration with expletives and derogatory language.
"By using the tariffs, you have this effect of slowing down the economy and creating a level of unpredictability for CEOs large and small around America," Scaramucci said.
Since taking office, Trump has threatened punitive tariffs against several countries ranging from Mexico to India. The White House most notably implemented tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports in 2018, and has threatened to levy more on an addition $300 billion worth of goods.
Another automaker is trying to cut its workforce to trim expenses and stay competitive as the industry makes the long and costly transition to electric vehicles.
The U.S. economy slowed sharply from January through March, decelerating to just a 1.1% annual pace as higher interest rates hammered the housing market and businesses reduced their inventories.
Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. fell last week as the labor market continues to show strength despite some weakness in other parts of the economy.
Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has avoided starting her more than 11-year prison sentence on Thursday by deploying the same legal maneuver that enabled her co-conspirator in a blood-testing hoax to remain free for an additional month.
When people think of asset classes, most think of stocks and bonds. Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst with Bankrate.com, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the current economy is making the cash savings account a more worthwhile investment than it's been in previous years.
The National Labor Relations Board said Tesla was found guilty of breaking U.S. labor law after telling employees to not discuss or complain about wages.
Christine Short, vice president of research with Wall Street Horizon, joined Cheddar News to discuss Wednesday's trading session as positive earnings from some tech companies lifted stocks. "This is the safe haven for investors, the barometer of global growth depending on the company we're talking about," she said.
