MSNBC host that called Trump caving on tariffs has another prediction

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell may have a talent for predicting the future actions of President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, the host of “The Last Word” predicted Trump would back down from his administration’s broad implementation of tariffs on more than 100 countries.

That prediction came true on Wednesday when the president announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs.

O’Donnell, who was born in Boston, also made another prediction on Tuesday: Trump will fire trade advisor Peter Navarro over the unpopularity of the tariffs.

“And Donald Trump is going to fire Peter Navarro because Wall Street will demand it. The problem now for Donald Trump is when does he back down from these tariffs? And how will (Wall Street) know that Donald Trump will not suddenly impose those tariffs again?” O’Donnell said during his show. “Donald Trump will need proof for Wall Street and for American industry and for Republican members of Congress that he is not going to ruin their lives again with tariffs.”

Recently, Navarro has been involved in a war of words with Tesla CEO and billionaire ally of Trump, Elon Musk.

When questioned about how the tariffs will affect Musk’s electric vehicle company during a CNBC interview on Monday, Navarro said Tesla is not a car manufacturer but a “car assembler.”

Navarro added that the Trump administration and Musk have different ways of thinking.

“We want the tires made in Akron. We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here,” said Navaro.

On Tuesday morning, Musk responded by calling Navarro a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks” on his social media website X.

“Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,” Musk wrote on X. A community note was included below Navaro’s stating Tesla has the most vehicles manufactured by Americans, according to a 2024 Cars.com report.

On Tuesday a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to respond to Musk insulting Navarro.

“These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs,” she said Tuesday during a White House press briefing. “Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue.”

Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs on more than 100 countries on April 2.

Several countries were hit with a baseline tariff of 10%, while others were hit with higher tariffs, such as Israel being hit with a 17% tariff.

Trump then announced a 104% tariff on all goods imported from China. In retaliation, China imposed an 84% tariff of its own. The European Union has also recently approved retaliatory tariffs.

Then on Wednesday, Trump backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days while also raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%, according to the Associated Press.