# Who's the most respectable economist (i.e. not a Trump sycophant) who has a positive assessment of tariffs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 9, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842 "2025-04-09T22:09:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/1 "2025-04-09T22:09:04Z")
Are there any? Or are they all unanimous that Trump’s tariffs make no sense, are self-defeating, will lead to recession/depression, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/2 "2025-04-10T00:30:58Z")
You have two questions here - your thread title asks about “tariffs” apparently in general, while in the OP you ask about “Trump’s tariffs” specifically. Which question do you want answered? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/3 "2025-04-10T00:58:30Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > Are there any? Or are they all unanimous that Trump’s tariffs make no sense, are self-defeating, will lead to recession/depression, etc.? Large unions like the United Auto Workers hire a “labor economist” who gives reasonable if controversial justifications for the union’s pro-tariff stance, a stance they may fine-tune. I have no reason to think such labor economists are insincere. I’m sure labor economists do not advocate Trump’s bullying style, and that they want trading partners to have considerable advance notice of coming tariff changes. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/4 "2025-04-10T01:09:10Z")
There are two: Peter Navarro and Ron Vara _Wait, he **WHAT**?!?!??_ There is one: Peter Navarro and Ron Vara. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/5 "2025-04-10T08:11:14Z")
No one credible is on record approving of Trump’s tariff plan; most economists feel there’s a place for tariffs in general, but in limited, directed applications like in the 1980s when we had tariffs on motorcycles from Japan to protect Harley Davidson so they wouldn’t have to build good bikes. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-respectable-economist-i-e-not-a-trump-sycophant-who-has-a-positive-assessment-of-tariffs/1016842/6 "2025-04-15T03:53:45Z")
Ron Vera and John Barron should do a podcast together.