Cracks in Trump’s entourage: Even allies are parting ways in economic storm – Rezazade

The global economic turbulence caused by Donald Trump’s tariff war has begun to divide even the president’s closest allies. As Ali Reza Rezaza, the first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, said, criticism from US business, media and political elites is the first sign of the deep political consequences of the White House’s new trade strategy.

“We are seeing Trump’s domestic support front collapsing. People who applauded his policies yesterday are now publicly opposing them. This is a wake-up call for the president,” Rezazade stressed.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon bluntly warned shareholders: tariffs will slow economic growth. Popular podcaster Ben Shapiro called Trump’s vision for international trade “misguided,” and Republican Senator Ted Cruz warned of the “enormous risks” of the tariff strategy.

Elon Musk’s departure from the White House stance has been particularly loud. During an event on Saturday, he openly advocated for “zero tariffs” between North America and Europe and also criticized Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro. In a post on social media, Musk wrote: “A Harvard economics degree is not an advantage, it’s a problem,” hinting at an inflated ego.

“Trump is used to loyalty and tacit consent,” comments Rezazade. “But now even those who built his image among millions of listeners and voters have begun to speak out. This is the first serious blow to his authority.”

Billionaire Bill Ackman has compared the new tariffs to “economic nuclear war” and urged the administration to press pause. Meanwhile, heavyweights like Marc Andreessen and Stephen Schwarzman have remained silent for now, in contrast to their vocal support for Trump during the election.

According to Rezazadeh, the silence is as telling as the outspoken criticism: “Business no longer sees Trump as a potential ally. They are waiting warily, but increasingly they are inclined to believe that this economic adventure could cost the country and the president dearly.”