A self-described "MAGA lefty" stunned political analysts and observers on Wednesday by calling on President Donald Trump to issue new stimulus checks because of the impact of his tariffs.
Batya Ungar-Sargon, a political commentator, called on Trump to issue the checks during a panel discussion on CNN's "NewsNight" with host Abby Phillip. She said the impact of Trump's tariffs has been disastrous to Trump's voters, and it is unclear whether Trump is aware of the impact.
"The American people who voted for Donald Trump are hurting. They are the ones bearing the cost of the war disproportionately because they are the ones who are struggling to pay for gas and food. This is a big problem for the president, and I don't know how aware of that he is," she said.
"So, he has two competing imperatives. He cannot get out without some sort of deal that is better than the JCPOA," she continued, referring to the deal former President Barack Obama struck with the Iranian regime regarding its nuclear capabilities. "And he has to somehow alleviate the pain and suffering of working-class Americans, and in my view, the best way to do that is a stimulus check."
Throughout his second term, Trump has imposed significant tariffs on America's trading partners. The impact of those tariffs was compounded when he launched the war in Iran in late February, which sent global energy prices skyrocketing.
Ungar-Sargon's comments stunned some political analysts and observers.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Bakari Sellers, a political analyst, said on the panel. "Do you hear this?"
Republicans have long criticized the stimulus checks that the first Trump administration and the Biden administration printed in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic for causing the inflationary issues that still linger today.
"A stimulus check? Why not just get rid of the tariffs?" Phillip countered.
"Watching Republicans solve Trump's quagmire is like watching a dog chewing its own balls," Bruce Crossing, a political commentator, chimed in on X.
"The FAFO is strong in this one," Jim Stewartson, a political commentator, posted on X.
Ungar-Sargon: The American people who voted for Donald Trump are hurting. He has to somehow alleviate the pain. The best way to do that is a stimulus check. He needs to give them a tariff rebate.
Phillip: Weren’t you an advocate for the tariffs?
Ungar-Sargon: Yes
Phillip: Why… pic.twitter.com/45KBryNMSo
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 4, 2026

