The Trump administration has touted its tariff strategy as a historic economic success, citing record stock market highs, falling trade deficits, and “virtually no inflation.” But what do the numbers actually show? In this episode of “Baker Briefing”, Ambassador David Satterfield sits down with John Diamond, Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Tax and Budget Policy, to examine the data behind the claims. They break down who really pays for the tariffs, what’s driving GDP growth, and whether inflation has truly fallen. This conversation offers an objective assessment of how tariffs are reshaping the U.S. economy and who is ultimately better off as a result.

Featured:

• Ambassador David Satterfield: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/david-m-satterfield
• John Diamond, Ph.D.: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/john-w-diamond

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Donald J. Trump: My Tariffs Have Brought America Back,” Wall Street Journal.
• Two-Handed Economist Podcast, hosted by Dr. John Diamond: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/two-handed-economist-podcast

This conversation was recorded on February 10, 2026.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

John Diamond argues that the government shutdown has become an economic tax on ordinary Americans. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is heeding warning signals from the labor market as artificial intelligence and automation rewrite the rules for major industries, prompting companies like Amazon, UPS, and Intel to lay off thousands of workers.

In other news, President Donald Trump is busy signing trade deals in China and Southeast Asia. But the deals’ actual value depends on how long they’re sustained.

This episode was recorded on Oct. 29, 2025.

Follow John Diamond on X (@jw_diamond) and LinkedIn.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

As the government shutdown drags on, the economic and political costs are mounting. John W. Diamond explains the impacts for workers, markets, and economic policymaking. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy is still expanding. But the tug-of-war between demand and supply shocks — notably, declining immigration and President Donald Trump’s tariff policies — amount to a fragile equilibrium.

This conversation was recorded on Oct. 15, 2025.

Mentioned:

• Bill King, “Republicans Getting the Blame for the Shutdown,” https://www.billkingblog.com/blog/republicans-getting-the-blame-for-the-shutdow

Follow John Diamond on X (@jw_diamond) and LinkedIn.

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.