Chatting with Paul Brennan, Professor Rob MacCulloch, chair of macroeconomics at Auckland University, unpacks the rationale behind Donald Trump’s renewed tariff strategy, positioning it as both a political tool and a response to decades of unchecked globalisation. Rob explains how Trump's policies aim to protect America's working class and achieve non-economic goals like curbing immigration and defending free speech. He challenges the prevailing academic consensus, criticising economists and New Zealand’s political advisors for their ideological biases and lack of practical solutions. He explores the implications for New Zealand—particularly the potential fallout on agricultural exports like beef—while questioning whether globalist trade ideals are losing steam in a shifting world order.

For more from Rob, follow his blog here: https://www.downtoearth.kiwi/