Warren Buffett went on a bit of a rant in Omaha, Nebraska, criticizing President Trump’s trade policy. He didn’t call out Trump by name, but he made it clear that he thinks slapping tariffs on other countries is a bad move. According to Buffett, using trade as a weapon is a no-go. He believes that if the rest of the world prospers, it won’t hurt the U.S.—in fact, it’ll make us all richer and safer. Buffett, a legendary investor, thinks that using tariffs can actually lead to some pretty nasty consequences. He believes that the U.S. should be focusing on trading with other countries and sticking to what we do best.
The White House’s recent tariff frenzy, which caused some serious chaos on Wall Street, seems to have really rubbed Buffett the wrong way. Trump’s decision to jack up import taxes had investors on edge, but the president hit the pause button on some of the increases (except for China) to try and work out some deals with other countries. This move helped calm the market down a bit.
Still, Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods have been pretty steep, and China fired back with some tariffs of their own. China has hinted at the possibility of sitting down for some trade talks with the U.S., but nothing’s set in stone just yet.
Buffett thinks that protectionist policies could end up hurting the U.S. in the long run, especially since we’re already a major player on the global stage. He’s not a fan of the “America first” mentality, and he thinks that the U.S. should be working to maintain good relationships with other countries.
Investors were eager to hear what Buffett had to say about the current economic situation, especially since Berkshire Hathaway, the company he heads, has a hand in a wide range of industries. With the economy taking a hit in the first quarter of the year, people were curious to hear Buffett’s take on things. The company’s recent earnings report mentioned that tariffs and other international issues were throwing a wrench in their future plans, but they couldn’t say exactly how things would play out.
Buffett has been playing it safe lately, selling off stocks for the past couple of years. Berkshire unloaded a ton of stock in 2024, with the biggest hits coming from Apple and Bank of America. All this selling means that Berkshire now has a boatload of cash sitting around—$347 billion, to be exact.
The Oracle of Omaha, as Buffett is known, has a reputation for making smart investment moves, so it’s no surprise that people pay close attention to what he has to say. With his vast experience and success in the business world, Buffett’s insights are seen as valuable by many. Despite the uncertainties caused by tariffs and geopolitical events, Buffett’s track record gives investors some reassurance that he knows what he’s doing.
In conclusion, it’s clear that Buffett isn’t a fan of Trump’s trade tactics. He believes that cooperation and open trade are the way to go, and that protectionist measures could backfire on the U.S. Whether or not Trump will take Buffett’s advice to heart remains to be seen, but for now, all eyes are on how the trade war will unfold.
