Trump's economic plan is all about tariffs, he says in Chicago
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Former President Trump during an interview at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday. Photo: Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Former President Trump told the audience at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday that he'd impose "the highest tariff in history" and that the country had a "very peaceful" transfer of power after the 2020 election.
Why it matters: Trump received a warm welcome from the audience, serving as a reminder that despite Illinois being a reliably blue state, he won 38% of the state in 2016 and 40% in 2020.
Driving the news: During an interview with Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait, Trump pushed tariffs as his No. 1 way to grow business in the U.S.
- Trump argued that companies will build in the U.S. in order to avoid tariffs, declaring: "I'm going to put the highest tariff in history."
- The former president also falsely claimed there was no inflation during his presidency.
Yes, but: Micklethwait noted that the Committee for Responsible Federal Budget has said Trump's economic plans would add $7.5 trillion to the debt.
- More than a dozen Nobel-winning economists signed a letter last summer saying Trump's plans would reignite inflation, which has recently fallen to its lowest rate in three years.
What they're saying: "We need borders; we need fair elections. We don't want men playing in women's sports. We don't want transgender operations without parental consent. There's so many things, but 99.9% is common sense," Trump said.
Between the lines: Micklethwait said the Economic Club of Chicago also invited Vice President Kamala Harris for an interview about her business policies but "so far she has declined."
Flashback: The last time Trump sat down for an interview in Chicago was in July at the National Association of Black Journalists conference. Many attendees and journalists opposed his appearance, given his history of maligning Chicago.
The other side: "Every time he opens his mouth, Donald Trump reminds us that he is a racist, misogynist 34-time convicted felon who doesn't care about anyone but himself … a majority of Americans reject … dangerous Project 2025 proposals a second Trump administration would plague this country with," Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement.
Reality check: Micklethwait directly asked the former president several times if he would respect the peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election next month, pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection that occurred after Trump falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen.
- Trump said he left the White House when he was supposed to and described it as "a very peaceful transfer." He would not commit to a peaceful transfer in November.
The intrigue: Trump didn't make any negative remarks about Chicago but did take aim at Detroit.
- "I've been talking for the last year about Detroit and how horribly it has been. You know, it's just horrible, because we've been talking about Detroit's coming back for 40 years, and it's never come back," Trump said.
What's next: The former president heads to Georgia for a forum about women's issues.
- Election Day is Nov. 5, but early voting is now open at the Voting Supersite at 191 N. Clark and the Board of Election Offices at 69 W. Washington St., on the sixth floor.
Go deeper: Chicago's 2024 election guide