Is ‘Trump always chickens out’ worth repeating?

Pat Dennis

Every day is “TACO Tuesday” for Democrats this week. Ever since President Donald Trump angrily dismissed a reporter’s question about the “Trump always chickens out” trade theory - the market’s bet that Trump will back off his trade bluster - it has become a nonstop meme, complete with a taco truck to taunt Republicans.

I’m head of a progressive opposition research shop, so you might assume I’m celebrating this outbreak of trolling. You’d be wrong. Democrats need to drop it immediately.

I understand that the claim that “Trump always chickens out” on trade policy feels vindicating. To see his political allies on Wall Street call him weak and goad him into a Truth Social tantrum scratches a particular itch. But this attack enrages Trump only when it’s coming from his own base - and when Democrats repeat it, they’re helping him squirm his way out of a political disaster he has created for himself.

Trump hasn’t “chickened out” on his tariffs. He is - at this very second - inflicting great harm on American workers, families and the entire U.S. economy. With Trump in charge, prices are up, small businesses are struggling, loan delinquencies are rising, and economic growth has slowed. Polling from Navigator last month showed that only 30 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Trump’s tariffs, including an abysmal 20 percent of independent voters.

But when the Democratic Party yells “TACO,” Americans feel hope that these harmful tariffs are only a negotiation tactic, rather than the economic suicide mission they are. The entire conversation feeds into the decades-old, TV-fueled perception of Trump as a master businessman, just as Democrats are finally gaining traction with a more negative impression.

The Working Class Project by American Bridge is listening to voters in 21 states across the country to understand why working-class Americans moved away from the Democratic Party. Here’s what a male voter in North Carolina had to say about Trump’s shifting tariffs:

“I know Canada kind of backed down, and I think that’s what he’s banking on. I don’t think China will back down, but they will eventually reach an agreement. And it will create a bunch of jobs and industries if he’s successful.”

This response was typical among people we’ve talked to: Voters see the give-and-take of tariff news - especially Trump “backing down” off tariffs to talk to other countries - as a sign of progress. Many mistakenly believe his policies have not gone into effect, even as the temporarily scaled-back tariffs are still at levels unseen since World War II. Yet Democrats are on TV, in newspapers and on social media boosting a message that’s helpful for Trump.

We must remind voters that Trump’s tariffs aren’t just empty social media posts or a game of global chess - they are real and harmful. Small businesses are laying off workers or shuttering doors. Experts are telling newlyweds to add up to 15 percent more to their wedding budgets. New parents are paying more for car seats and strollers. We desperately need new housing, but costs of construction materials are skyrocketing.

The message should be relentless: Trump’s trade policies are a failure, and Americans are suffering the consequences. He promised a manufacturing boom; Mack Truck cut hundreds of jobs in Pennsylvania. He promised to lower inflation, then told families that they should buy fewer Christmas presents for their kids if toys are too expensive now. He promised to strengthen small businesses; one small-business owner in Ohio said she’s bracing for “mass extinction of small businesses” as a result of these tariffs.

In a world of political branding, it’s tempting to hit Trump where he appears weakest - his inconsistency, his ego, his impulsiveness. But on trade, that strategy plays right into his strengths. The smarter path is to argue that Trump’s trade policies are a disaster because he followed through.

The party can’t get complacent and hope the real-life tariffs will do all their messaging work for them, either. Despite four months of chaos, Republicans still retain a 10-point lead on the economy. Democrats need to stop talking about TACO and start hammering home the truth: Trump is making life more expensive for everyone, and he’s not going to stop.

• Pat Dennis is president of American Bridge 21st Century.