𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣'𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗦

 "It's deja vu all over again!"  Yogi Berra

Trump administration officials are stockpiling basic supplies in anticipation of skyrocketing prices from the president’s ill-advised tariffs.

Rolling Stone reports that at least three administration officials, including one Trump aide, are buying toilet paper, food items, and other household supplies in bulk. They also told the publication that they know other conservatives working in politics, both inside and outside of the White House, who are doing the same.

When asked why they were hoarding, the Trump aide said, “Because it would be stupid not to!” They added that they and their partner were “stashing cash” in their Washington, D.C.-area home but that they still support Trump’s tariffs, saying there will be “short-term pain” before long-term “prosperity.”

It’s clear that Republicans in power are fearful of the consequences of Trump’s tariffs. Some GOP senators have expressed their concerns publicly, and even allied with Democrats on a Wednesday vote to condemn Trump’s tariffs, only to be stymied when Vice President JD Vance cast his tie-breaking vote to shoot the effort down.

Meanwhile, the economic shakeup continues to generate bad news, whether it’s the U.S. gross domestic product shrinking for the first quarter in three years, domestic car manufacturers saying they’ll lose billions of dollars, or unemployment numbers rising. Trump continues to try and brush it all aside, blaming President Biden and claiming that a “boom” is right around the corner. The administration’s chief tariffs architect, Peter Navarro, even said the economy is great—aside from the tariffs.

                                    

Toilet Paper Panic

Many Republicans are worried that the ensuing trade wars and price hikes from the tariffs will hurt the economy, making these basic supplies more expensive. But because they’re also scared of Trump and don’t want his or his supporters’ vengeance, they’ll offer phony public support or, at the very least, make feeble, low-stakes acts of opposition. All the while, they’ll hoard toilet paper or engage in shady Wall Street investments for their own personal benefit.