‘Jeopardizes All Of It’: Ex-Mike Pence Aide Knocks Trump Over These ‘Confusing’ Moves

Marc Short — who served as ex-Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff — questioned President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariff threats, calling the trade letters sent to several countries Wednesday a “full blanket assault globally on a trade policy.”

In an MSNBC appearance, Short brushed aside the notion that Trump was prioritizing the countries — the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Sri Lanka (and, since his appearance on the network, Brazil) — in letters he sent that threatened up to 50% tariffs that could begin Aug. 1.

Short told MSNBC’s Ana Cabrera that the letters, which add to 14 others sent earlier in the week, were “confusing” to him, as the president had several weeks of “really good political news” for his administration.

He cited a reported decrease in the amount of unlawful crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, the president signing his so-called “big, beautiful bill” into law and the strikes in Iran.

“I think that this trade agenda jeopardizes all of it,” Short declared. “I think that, first and foremost, we need to remind people that it’s the Americans who pay the tariff. It’s a tax. It’s a regressive tax on Americans that I think is principal among America that consumers should have the freedom to buy products they want.”

He continued, “It’s authoritarian governments that want to impose massive tariffs to restrict the freedom to purchase products.”

Short went on to stress that Congress appears “unwilling” to reclaim its authority to impose tariffs.

Moments later, he said Trump’s trade agenda is “starkly different” from that of the first administration, which targeted China.

He noted that while tariffs can serve a national security purpose, the “reality” in Trump’s first term was that manufacturing jobs were lost due to the trade policy.

“And so while there’s messaging that says this is to protect manufacturing jobs… the suppliers lose jobs because they can’t get product because of the tariff policy,” he said.

“And so ultimately, I think this not only raises prices but it kills jobs, too.”