Martin Wolf interviews Larry Summers: Is Trump a threat to the US economy?
Dec 10, 2024
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Larry Summers, former US Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard, shares his insights on the economic risks posed by Trump’s policies. He discusses the potential inflationary effects of tax cuts and trade tariffs. Summers highlights public discontent with the Biden administration despite low unemployment. He draws parallels to Nixon's era, emphasizing threats to the Federal Reserve's credibility and the rule of law. The conversation navigates the disconnect between economic data and voter sentiments, warning of electoral repercussions for progressive leaders.
Larry Summers highlights that inflation results from fiscal and monetary mismanagement, undermining perceptions of economic stability among voters.
Summers warns that Trump's proposed tax cuts and tariffs could exacerbate inflation, threatening economic credibility and the independence of the Federal Reserve.
Deep dives
Disappointment in Biden's Economy
The dissatisfaction with the Biden administration stems from rising inflation, which significantly impacted people's perceptions of their economic well-being. Despite indicators of strong economic recovery and low unemployment rates, many Americans felt the sting of increased costs of living, especially in housing and consumer goods. Polling data showed that independent voters became increasingly disillusioned with the Democrats, with concerns over inflation overshadowing other pressing issues like abortion or immigration. This shift in priorities contributed to the Democrats' bleak prospects in the face of the upcoming elections, reflecting a broader economic discontent among voters.
Inflation and Its Causes
Larry Summers argues that inflation is fundamentally linked to monetary and fiscal policies that have driven nominal GDP growth far beyond the economy's potential. He emphasizes that a significant surge in nominal GDP over the last four years should have resulted in inflation exceeding 2% annually, given the historical context. Despite arguments from other economists attributing inflation solely to external shocks like the pandemic recovery and geopolitical events, Summers maintains that the mismanagement of economic expectations contributed heavily to the current situation. The impacts of past inflation episodes demonstrate that without controlling the cost of living, trust in economic stability deteriorates.
Risks of Future Inflation under Trump
The potential policies under a Trump presidency are perceived to carry significant inflationary risks, particularly given the intentions to maintain tax cuts and implement new tariffs. Summers warns that such policies may exacerbate inflation pressures, especially if they lead to labor shortages and increased import costs. The historical parallels drawn to Nixon's presidency underscore the risk of populist economic strategies that could undermine the Federal Reserve's independence and the overall credibility of inflation control measures. The current market conditions indicate a precarious balancing act, where any significant economic missteps could ignite fears of a return to higher inflation, necessitating caution and vigilance from policymakers.
The US has just overcome one abrupt spike in inflation, which may have cost Kamala Harris her bid for the presidency. But now President-elect Donald Trump’s policy agenda threatens to cause another one. That’s according to Larry Summers, the former US Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard University. He speaks to the FT’s Martin Wolf – who is standing in for Soumaya Keynes while she is on maternity leave – about the risks to economic stability posed by Trump’s proposed tax cuts, trade tariffs and mass expulsion of illegal immigrants, as well as his threats to the rule of law.
Martin Wolf is chief economics commentator at the Financial Times. You can find his column here