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Review of the various things Trump has done to destabilize the American economy and gain the upper hand for himself and his cronies. It has been suggested that he resign. Likely that he will not go without a fight.

Below is an overview of the main ways Donald Trump has been criticized for destabilizing the economy and breaking or violating laws.

I. Ways Trump Has Destabilized the Economy

1. Trade Wars and Tariffs

  • Imposed sweeping tariffs on China, the EU, Canada, and others.
  • Resulted in:
    • Higher prices for U.S. consumers and manufacturers
    • Retaliatory tariffs that hurt U.S. farmers and exporters
    • Billions in government farm bailouts to offset losses
  • Economists widely agree the trade war reduced GDP growth and increased inflationary pressure.

2. Undermining Confidence in Institutions

  • Repeatedly attacked:
    • The Federal Reserve
    • Federal agencies
    • Courts and regulators
  • Public pressure on the Fed to manipulate interest rates weakened perceptions of U.S. monetary independence—something markets rely on for stability.

3. Government Shutdowns

  • Triggered the longest government shutdown in U.S. history (2018–2019) over border wall funding.
  • Shutdown consequences:
    • Hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or unpaid
    • Billions lost in economic output
    • Reduced investor confidence in U.S. governance

4. Massive Increase in National Debt

  • Signed large tax cuts (2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) without offsetting spending cuts.
  • Even before COVID, deficits rose sharply.
  • National debt increased by ~$8 trillion during his presidency.
  • Undermined claims of fiscal responsibility and increased long-term economic risk.

5. COVID-19 Economic Mismanagement

  • Downplayed the pandemic early, creating uncertainty and delayed response.
  • Mixed messaging undermined consumer and business confidence.
  • Result:
    • Sharp market volatility
    • Historic job losses in 2020
    • Slower and more chaotic initial economic recovery than peer nations

II. Laws Trump Has Broken or Been Found Liable For

1. Criminal Conviction (2024)

  • Convicted on 34 felony counts in New York for falsifying business records to conceal hush-money payments during the 2016 election.
  • This is a criminal conviction, not an allegation.

2. Civil Fraud Judgment (New York)

  • Found liable for business fraud for inflating asset values to obtain favorable loans and insurance.
  • Ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties and interest.
  • Court found a persistent pattern of deception, not a one-time mistake.

3. Campaign Finance Violations (Related Conduct)

  • Hush-money scheme involved illegal campaign contributions (payments intended to influence the election).
  • Trump was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in earlier filings.
  • His lawyer, Michael Cohen, went to prison for the same scheme.

4. Obstruction and Abuse of Power (Impeachments)

Trump was impeached twice by the U.S. House:

First impeachment (2019):

  • Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress
  • Pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival

Second impeachment (2021):

  • Incitement of insurrection related to January 6

While the Senate did not convict, impeachment itself confirms serious constitutional violations were formally charged.

5. Election Subversion Efforts

  • Pressured state officials to “find votes”
  • Promoted false claims of election fraud
  • Encouraged alternate elector schemes
  • These actions directly undermined democratic norms and market confidence in political stability

(Some related criminal cases were pending, dismissed, or appealed depending on jurisdiction as of 2025.)

III. Why This Matters Economically

Markets depend on:

  • Rule of law
  • Predictable governance
  • Institutional trust

Trump’s actions—legal violations, norm-breaking, and economic unpredictability—increase risk premiums, discourage investment, and weaken long-term economic stability.

None of this addresses his repeated attempts to hush the opposition and to silence his most active critics. The latest invastion of Venezuela shows his disregard of Congress and their important role in okaying military force against other nations. Trump will not resign and will oppose any measures to get him out of office. The American people need to get clear on the real threat he poses to the American democracy and our way of life. cew