Laura Ingraham Defends Trump's Policies Amid Economic Downturn
The network's hosts and guests are attempting to reframe the economic pain as a necessary step towards Trump's vision, with some encouraging viewers to accept a lower standard of living as an act of service, and citing the potential long-term benefits of Trump's policies, including the return of manufacturing to the US.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham is urging viewers to ignore the stock market meltdown, claiming that President Trump's trade decisions are good for business and will lead to a "return to an era of peace, prosperity, and common sense."
Ingraham's comments come as the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 900 points and global markets plummeted in response to Trump's tariffs. Despite the economic uncertainty, Ingraham argued that Trump's policies are driving a positive change, citing Goldman Sachs CEO David M. Solomon's praise of Trump's engagement with the business community. Other Fox News hosts and guests, including conservative economists Brian Wesbury and Jackie DeAngelis, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, have also downplayed the severity of the economic outlook, acknowledging that Trump's policies will harm Americans but trying to convince viewers that the pain will be worth it.
Wesbury compared the economic outlook to "heartburn" rather than a "heart attack," while DeAngelis said it will take years to bring manufacturing back to the US. Ingraham also downplayed the market crash, saying it's a "modest dip" caused by economic headwinds and uncertainty in Washington. The network's attempt to spin the economic pain as a necessary step towards Trump's vision for the country highlights the challenges his policies pose for his supporters.
As the economic uncertainty continues, it remains to be seen whether Fox News' efforts to convince viewers that the pain will be worth it will be successful. Ingraham's comments and those of other Fox News hosts and guests reflect a shift from the network's pre-election message, and demonstrate the difficulties of defending Trump's policies in the face of economic downturn.
