Washington Post Columnist Catherine Rampell slammed the team around President Donald Trump Tuesday, calling them 'Sycophants and cowards" for failing to stand up to his market-crashing tariff plan.
The writer called out several members of Trump's inner circle because they have "egged him on" his tariff tirade. Like economic adviser Kevin Hassett who followed Trump's move by celebrating that, "More than 50 countries have reached out to the president to begin a negotiation."
She noted his stark contrast to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who suggested there would be no deals and that the tariffs, "would be permanent because Trump needs them to revive U.S. manufacturing."
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Rampell went on to criticize Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' attempt to rationalize the hefty tariffs by saying, " 'Alexander Hamilton once endorsed tariffs' … in 1791."
The pinnacle of Rampell's piece however took aim at Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, "the supposed adult in the room who was hired because he “understands” markets. He declared that tariffs were already successful because stock market infrastructure didn’t disintegrate despite the “record volume” (i.e., huge turmoil and volatility) of trading on Friday."
She also balked at Bessent's idea that "fired federal civil servants are now available to work in U.S factories."
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Summing up her criticism, she penned, "Emboldened by the sycophants and cowards who refuse to speak the truth, Trump insists Americans should 'hang tough,' swallow his 'medicine' and stoically endure the pain he is inflicting. But calls for collective sacrifice ring hollow when voiced by a guy who went golfing as the economy melted down."
