Josh Barro

I think that, you know, if he didn't have that economic record, I think you're right that he would have been less competitive. Um, I don't know whether that's because the personnel was better or because he was more inclined to listen to them. I mean, when Steve Mnuchin was picked in 2017, or maybe he was announced in 2016, he looked underqualified for the Treasury Secretary job.

I think that, you know, if he didn't have that economic record, I think you're right that he would have been less competitive. Um, I don't know whether that's because the personnel was better or because he was more inclined to listen to them. I mean, when Steve Mnuchin was picked in 2017, or maybe he was announced in 2016, he looked underqualified for the Treasury Secretary job.

It was kind of like this, you know, he had been politically associated with Trump and was this kind of, you know, middling finance guy that had been picked for this job. He turned out to be very good at it. Partly because I think he was less egotistical than some of these other officials. He knew that he was maybe a little bit underqualified, and so he really listened to expert advice.

It was kind of like this, you know, he had been politically associated with Trump and was this kind of, you know, middling finance guy that had been picked for this job. He turned out to be very good at it. Partly because I think he was less egotistical than some of these other officials. He knew that he was maybe a little bit underqualified, and so he really listened to expert advice.

It was kind of like this, you know, he had been politically associated with Trump and was this kind of, you know, middling finance guy that had been picked for this job. He turned out to be very good at it. Partly because I think he was less egotistical than some of these other officials. He knew that he was maybe a little bit underqualified, and so he really listened to expert advice.

Anyway, he did a good job, and so did Gary Cohn. But Trump also clearly had a willingness to listen to them, and he had big ideas about tariffs that he repeatedly got talked out of during the first term.

Anyway, he did a good job, and so did Gary Cohn. But Trump also clearly had a willingness to listen to them, and he had big ideas about tariffs that he repeatedly got talked out of during the first term.

Anyway, he did a good job, and so did Gary Cohn. But Trump also clearly had a willingness to listen to them, and he had big ideas about tariffs that he repeatedly got talked out of during the first term.

And so I think in significant part, there's been a big change in Trump, where he just is less interested in consensus advice and listening to other people's guidance rather than his own wacky ideas that he's had about the economy for 50 years.

And so I think in significant part, there's been a big change in Trump, where he just is less interested in consensus advice and listening to other people's guidance rather than his own wacky ideas that he's had about the economy for 50 years.

And so I think in significant part, there's been a big change in Trump, where he just is less interested in consensus advice and listening to other people's guidance rather than his own wacky ideas that he's had about the economy for 50 years.

So, I mean, I think Scott Besant is a smart guy, and the stuff that he said about tariffs before the administration started made clear that Scott Besant doesn't think the policies they're actually implementing now are good policies. I just think he doesn't have any juice.

So, I mean, I think Scott Besant is a smart guy, and the stuff that he said about tariffs before the administration started made clear that Scott Besant doesn't think the policies they're actually implementing now are good policies. I just think he doesn't have any juice.

So, I mean, I think Scott Besant is a smart guy, and the stuff that he said about tariffs before the administration started made clear that Scott Besant doesn't think the policies they're actually implementing now are good policies. I just think he doesn't have any juice.

But there's no good way to market this tariff policy. I think that's an even more hopeless assignment than certain other aspects of the administration's policy.

But there's no good way to market this tariff policy. I think that's an even more hopeless assignment than certain other aspects of the administration's policy.

But there's no good way to market this tariff policy. I think that's an even more hopeless assignment than certain other aspects of the administration's policy.

Marco, in the immigration stuff, a lot of it is awful, but it's at least responding to a real political impulse in the United States where people were really unhappy with the level of irregular immigration under Joe Biden and get tough on that as a thing that there's a big market for. The president's approval ratings are actually still a little bit above water on immigration.

Marco, in the immigration stuff, a lot of it is awful, but it's at least responding to a real political impulse in the United States where people were really unhappy with the level of irregular immigration under Joe Biden and get tough on that as a thing that there's a big market for. The president's approval ratings are actually still a little bit above water on immigration.

Marco, in the immigration stuff, a lot of it is awful, but it's at least responding to a real political impulse in the United States where people were really unhappy with the level of irregular immigration under Joe Biden and get tough on that as a thing that there's a big market for. The president's approval ratings are actually still a little bit above water on immigration.