Commentator Bill O’Reilly said late Monday that President Trump needs to appeal to Americans personally and acknowledge the short-term pain they’re experiencing as a result of his tariffs.
In an interview on NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert,” O’Reilly said he thinks Trump’s goal with the sweeping global tariffs is “noble and righteous, and if it works, the country will be a lot stronger.”
“The problem is that people are feeling pain,” O’Reilly added. “The American public’s feeling pain. And whenever that happens, the leader of the country has to reassure in a personal way, and I don’t think Donald Trump’s done that yet.”
O’Reilly also praised Trump for speaking so often with the press, saying, “people should applaud that,” but he said the president needs to appeal to the American people directly.
“He hasn’t looked into the camera and said, ‘Look, I know you’re suffering. I know your hard-earned dollars are not what they were on paper a month ago, and I know it’s because of me, but stay with me here,’” the former Fox News host said, suggesting that only then should Trump present the facts that support his tariff policies.
“Because this is personal, but he hasn’t made it personal yet, and I think he has to do that,” O’Reilly added.
Trump announced sweeping global tariffs last Wednesday that sent the stock market tumbling for two days. Global financial markets bounced back slightly early Tuesday.
Trump administration officials have sent mixed signals about whether the tariffs are “here to stay” or whether they are an opening for negotiations with countries for better deals. On Monday, he signaled an openness to negotiating, even as he defended the tariffs as benefiting America in the long run.