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Retailers warn Trump tariffs will trigger consumer price explosion — who will he blame? [1]

['Ellsworth Toohey']

Date: 2025-08-29  

When the inflation bomb Trump planted with his tariffs finally explodes later this year, expect him to unleash the full authoritarian playbook — straight from his BFF Viktor Orbán's greatest hits.

As reported in The Wall Street Journal, Walmart, Target, and the entire retail sector are warning about massive price hikes, all stemming from Trump's "tariffs-solve-everything" strategy.

But like every wannabe strongman from Budapest to Buenos Aires, Trump won't let reality interfere with a good narrative. His base will soon hear how Biden's "radical regulations" forced meat prices up, while Democratic "union bosses" conspired with transportation companies to drive up shipping costs.

The playbook writes itself: Blame supply chain problems on Democratic "open borders." Pin commodity price spikes on "environmental extremists." Accuse shadowy "Deep State bureaucrats" of manipulating trade policies to undermine America First economics. Tell your base that "illegals and welfare parasites" are "gaming the system" and "straining the food supply."

Never mind that Trump's 50% tariff on Brazilian coffee is literally causing Folgers to raise prices twice in four months. When you're running the authoritarian game plan, facts are just inconvenient speed bumps on the road to total reality denial.

Watch for Trump to pull the same moves that kept Orbán in power: blame-shifting, media manipulation, conspiracy theories, and pointing fingers while picking his supporters' pockets.

Previously:

• Trump's incoherent rambling on inflation solutions raises concerns

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/08/29/trump-tariff-price.html

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