Fact-check analysisVerified as of August 2, 2025Curated by FactVerify
Mostly True

John Fetterman: Trump is absolutely winning the trade war. I'm a huge fan of Bill Maher, he's one of the oracles for the Democratic Party. He thought that the tariffs we're going to tank the economy, and he acknowledged that they didn't.

John Fetterman, a Democratic senator, expressed support for Bill Maher's view that the tariffs implemented during President Trump's second administration did not tank the economy as initially feared, and acknowledged Trump's progress in the trade war.

John Fetterman - Wikipedia

John Fetterman - Wikipedia

Source: en.wikipedia.org

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified August 2, 2025
The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

John Fetterman, currently serving as a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, publicly stated that he agrees with Bill Maher, a commentator he regards as an influential voice within the Democratic Party, regarding the impact of tariffs under President Donald Trump's second term. Maher had predicted that the tariffs would severely damage the economy; however, he later acknowledged that this outcome did not materialize.

Fetterman echoed this sentiment, indicating that Trump is 'absolutely winning the trade war,' reflecting a recognition of perceived progress in trade negotiations and tariff implementation. While there is evidence that tariffs increased significantly during Trump's second administration and that some economic indicators did not collapse as feared, many economists warn of potential long-term risks and negative consequences for global trade and the U.S. Economy.

Thus, while Fetterman's statement aligns with some observations about short-term economic resilience, it may understate broader economic concerns highlighted by experts.

Primary trail

Verified Sources10

WATCH: Dem senator agrees with GOP that Trump's making progress on trade war

foxbangor.com
Open source

Tariffs in the second Trump administration

en.wikipedia.org
Open source
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