The Daily Populous Thursday April 3rd, 2025 day edition
Authored by latintimes.com and submitted by muchnycrunchny

The internet wasted no time mocking President Donald Trump for claiming tariffs in 1929 could have prevented the Great Depression.

During his address at the "Make America Wealthy Again" event held on the White House lawn on Wednesday, Trump shared his version of what happened in the years leading up to and after the Great Depression.

"In 1913, for reasons unknown to mankind, they established income tax so citizens rather than foreign countries would start paying the money necessary to run our government," Trump stated.

Trump: In 1913, for reasons unknown, they established income tax so citizens rather than foreign countries would start paying the money necessary to run our government. Then in 1929, it all came to an abrupt end the great depression, it would have never happened if they had to… pic.twitter.com/YVwvvdnmaS — Acyn (@Acyn) April 2, 2025

"Then, in 1929, it all came to a very abrupt end with the Great Depression. And it would have never happened if they had stayed with the tariff policy," the president continued.

Trump added that the U.S. government tried to bring back tariffs, but it was gone, and it took "years and years to get out of the depression."

Social media users corrected and eviscerated Trump for his bold claim. One X user shared a clip from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in which a high school teacher explains the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act passed one year into the Great Depression in 1930. The act was meant to collect additional revenue for the U.S. government while protecting farmers and industries. Instead, it triggered a trade war and tanked the global economy.

Trump: the Great Depression wouldn’t have happened “if they had stayed with the tariffs.”

Reality:pic.twitter.com/dkCo6TpjsY https://t.co/eJrK0gITKy — Lucas Holtz (@LucasHoltz__) April 2, 2025

X user John Poulson further elaborated on the negative effects of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.

"Our dear leader just claimed that the lack of tariffs was responsible for the Great Depression. The exact opposite is true. Smoot-Hawley which imposed tariffs exacerbated the Depression by restraining world trade and raising the cost of imported goods for American consumers," he explained.

Our dear leader just claimed that the lack of tariffs was responsible for the Great Depression. The exact opposite is true. Smoot-Hawley which imposed tariffs exacerbated the Depression by restraining world trade and raising the cost of imported goods for American consumers. — John Poulson (@JohnPoulson8) April 2, 2025

Other social media users joked about the state of the world in light of Trump's new reciprocal tariffs.

"Make Everyone Poor Again, The great depression comes soon! And then WW3," @AvoiceofBihar wrote.

Make Everyone Poor Again, The great depression comes soon! And then WW3 — Gaurav Kumar (@AvoiceofBihar) April 2, 2025

"Making America Poor Again...Taxes for everyone...except for the wealthy!🤔" another added.

Making America Poor Again...Taxes for everyone...except for the wealthy!🤔 pic.twitter.com/24zq0NtCaU — Mathan Soma (@Mathan_Soma) April 2, 2025

Users also pointed out the stock market tanked as soon as Trump announced his tariffs, which CNBC showed in real time.

"Oh my god. At the exact moment Trump announced his tariffs the market crashed in real time. CNBC is SAVAGE for doing the side by side," @CalltoActivism shared.

Oh my god. At the exact moment Trump announced his tariffs the market crashed in real time.

CNBC is SAVAGE for doing the side by side.

pic.twitter.com/7zChENvtY9 — CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) April 2, 2025

"The stock market is now tanking as Donald Trump babbles about tariffs. Bravo, nimrod.🤦‍♀️" another user added.

The stock market is now tanking as Donald Trump babbles about tariffs.

🤦‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/uQTMm92VHH — Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) April 2, 2025

Robert Reich, the former U.S. Secretary of Labor, shared a 1-minute video explaining how "Trump's tariffs will result in a massive transfer of wealth from working people into the hands of millionaires and billionaires." He called Trump's move "a scandal."

Trump’s tariffs will result in a massive transfer of wealth from working people into the hands of millionaires and billionaires. Here’s how. pic.twitter.com/QqBWTGyDf9 — Robert Reich (@RBReich) April 2, 2025

Others questioned why Russia wasn't included in Trump's list.

"Can anyone tell me why Russia is just about the only country — if not the ONLY country — that is exempt from Trump's tariffs? Anyone? 🤨" @joncoopertweets posited.

Can anyone tell me why Russia is just about the only country — if not the ONLY country — that is exempt from Trump’s tariffs?

Anyone? 🤨 — Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) April 2, 2025

"Russia notably absent from Trump's tariff attacks," another user noted.

Russia notably absent from Trump's tariff attacks. pic.twitter.com/BHGB5Mfr1X — Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) April 2, 2025

And one user shared a bleak prediction for what comes next.

"Here's the real kick about how Trump's tariffs are going to hike prices for everything: Once that happens, even if the tariffs go away, the prices are never, ever going back down again," @DC_DeWitt stated.

Here's the real kick about how Trump's tariffs are going to hike prices for everything: Once that happens, even if the tariffs go away, the prices are never, ever going back down again. — David DeWitt (@DC_DeWitt) April 2, 2025

The baseline and reciprocals tariffs will go into effect on April 5.

Sunnyjim333 on April 3rd, 2025 at 02:12 UTC »

He skipped Econ 101 in college.

"In 1930 Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which raised tariffs in all sectors, and is considered to have exacerbated the worldwide economic downturn that lasted from 1929 until 1939, by undermining international trade and affording little protection to domestic producers."

Prestigious-Ad54 on April 3rd, 2025 at 01:51 UTC »

He was mocked for it because it's literally the dumbest and most historically ignorant statement ever uttered by a politician in the history of man.

KingAteas on April 3rd, 2025 at 01:37 UTC »

Tariffs made the Great Depression worse. I guess he’s never heard of Smoot-Hawley… but then again he’s only heard of things that the idiots around him say.