President Donald Trump is facing backlash after claiming that a sharp decline in port traffic—and a significant drop in goods entering the U.S.—is actually a positive development. When warned that the slowdown could cost truckers and dock workers their paychecks or even their jobs, Trump praised the downturn, arguing it means the country isn’t “losing money.”

“That means we lose less money, you know?” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “When I see that, that means we lose less money. Look, China was making over a trillion, $1.1 trillion, in my opinion. You know, different numbers from $500 billion to a trillion or a trillion, I think it was 1.1 trillion. And frankly, if we didn’t do business, we would have been better off.”

“Okay, you understand that?” Trump continued. “So when you say it’s slowed down, that’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”

The President’s remarks were quickly criticized.

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U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) commented, “It’s not a good thing. Dock workers & truck drivers don’t think it’s a good thing. Businesses don’t think it’s a good thing.”

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) wrote, “I represent the second largest container port in the U.S, I promise you it’s a bad thing.”

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins quoted Trump’s “good thing, not a bad thing” comment, then posted video of Seattle’s port commissioner saying, “We currently do not have any container ships at port right now.”

MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle, who spent 14 years at top financial services companies before starting her journalism career, wrote that she had just sent the President’s comments “to every wall st source I have that supported our President.”

“Every response I got was some sort of embarrassed emoji.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

Trump on port traffic: When you are saying it slowed down, that’s a good thing, not a bad thing pic.twitter.com/MXjo8l9159

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 8, 2025

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Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a one-two punch to FBI Director Kash Patel, who appeared at a budget hearing without bringing a budget.

“It was due last week, by law,” Senator Murray explained during Thursday’s hearing.

“I understand,” Director Patel replied.

“And your answer is I should just understand you’re not gonna follow the law?” Murray asked.

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“My answer is that I am following the law, and I’m working with my interagency partners to do this and get you the budget that you are required to have,” Patel responded.

“And you have no timeline?” Murray asked.

“No,” Patel replied.

“Hmm,” said Murray. “Well, we also need a full budget request, not a single paragraph full of wild talking points that we saw with the skinny budget proposal. We’re now having a budget hearing, without a budget request. So, Director Patel, where is the FY2026 budget request for the FBI?”

“It’s, uh, being worked on, ma’am,” was Patel’s response.

“Have you reviewed it? Have you approved it?” Murray asked.

The back and forth continued, with Patel ultimately declaring, “I’m doing the best I can. I can’t make up answers, I’m gonna commit to you to work on getting you the information you need.”

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“Well, that, that is insufficient and deeply disturbing,” Murray responded.

But the six-term Democratic Senator did not stop there.

Taking to social media, Murray blasted Patel again.

“Kash Patel, the conspiracy theorist that Republicans made FBI Director, came to a Senate hearing on the budget—with NO budget, NO timeline, and NO clue,” Senator Murray wrote atop video of her exchange with the FBI Director. “It’s downright incompetent, and it’s making America less safe. We need serious leadership at the FBI.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

MURRAY: It was due last week. By law.

PATEL: I understand.

MURRAY: You’re not gonna follow the law? … And you have no timeline?

PATEL: No

MURRAY: Hmm. We’re not having a budget hearing without a budget request. So where is it? pic.twitter.com/wS0lxG09EG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2025

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Economic and political experts are panning President Donald Trump’s tariff “deal” with the UK, saying it doesn’t live up to his hype.

The President teased out the announcement Wednesday, at first not mentioning the alleged deal was with the UK.

“Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!”

At 5:42 AM, building up the excitement, he dropped this post: “This should be a very big and exciting day for the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Press Conference at The Oval Office, 10A.M. Thank you!”

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Except the United Kingdom did not appear to agree.

“Until as recently as this week, British officials remained skeptical that a deal would be signed off imminently, and some were taken by surprise by Trump’s announcement,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Some trade observers expected more of an outline than a fully hashed-out deal.”

Critics were quick to dismiss the President’s deal as lacking in substance.

“Trump’s so called ‘trade deal’ with UK is just like his ‘great’ healthcare plan: It’s the CONCEPT of a plan,” declared SiriusXM host Dean Obeidallah. “LITERALLY. Per reporting if you read past the headlines There is no deal – just a framework to start talks. But Trump knows the sheep of corporate media will cover this as a deal. It’s not.”

The Journal also noted that “U.K. officials said the pact won’t be a comprehensive trade agreement and will instead focus on reducing tariffs in specific sectors. They said some details remain yet to be finalized, which could mean further talks in the future.”

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Bloomberg UK’s political editor Alex Wickham framed it this way: “UK providing a polite reality check to Trump’s posts about a ‘full and comprehensive’ deal UK-US deal will set out general terms of agreement: UK official Will set framework for further negotiations: UK official Focused on specific sectors, not traditional FTA: UK official.”

And doubling down, WSJ added that the “expected pact will be a far cry from the comprehensive trade deal Downing Street previously sought to negotiate with the U.S. after Britain quit the European Union a few years ago.”

Calling it “a photo op, with little macroeconomic significance,” Professor of Economics and Public Policy Justin Wolfers offered this explanation:

“Trump’s “big” trade deal is with the UK:
– It’s a framework not a deal
– They’re our 11th largest trading partner
– They’re only 3% of US trade (97% to go)
– They *already* charge average tariffs of only 1% (limited upside)”

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden commented, “About 2 percent of our imports come from Great Britain. So put me down as kind of skeptical that there is much there, there.”

Hedge fund founder and chief investment officer Spencer Hakimian observed: “So after 4 weeks of negotiating with our closest ally, whom we run a *trade surplus* with, all we were able to accomplish was a continuation of the 10% tariff rate with them? How are we going to possibly negotiate anything substantive with China, Europe, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc.? The gimmick president doing gimmicky things. And meanwhile our economy will pay the price for his desire to see himself on TV.”

Brendan Duke, a self-described “Tax/budget nerd” for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) noted: “The Liberation Day reciprocal tariff on UK imports was 10% and it’s now going to be 10%. Art of the Deal folks.”

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Image via Reuters