Trump’s Tariff Pause Targets Consumer Relief, Former Advisor Claims

By Eric Mack | Thursday, 01 January 2026 10:48 PM EST

President Donald Trump’s decision to pause certain tariff increases is aimed squarely at easing rising costs for American consumers, former Trump senior economic adviser Steve Moore told Newsmax on Thursday night.

“There are some items that we put tariffs on that are really hurting consumers — and he wants to bring relief,” Moore said on “Greg Kelly Reports,” noting that affordability has become the dominant economic issue for households.

The move does not signal a retreat from Trump’s broader trade strategy, but rather reflects tactical leverage from a president Moore called an unmatched dealmaker.

“Nobody knows the art of the deal better than Donald J. Trump,” he told guest host Lidia Curanaj. “Every decision he’s made when I’ve been around him has been about putting America first.”

Trump’s trade approach has already delivered results by forcing other nations to lower tariffs on U.S. goods, ultimately benefiting American workers and consumers, according to Moore, adding improving economic fundamentals are evidence the tariff pause comes from a position of strength.

“Inflation has headed down to the 2% target that the Fed has put as its benchmark,” he said. “We’ve got 7.5 million jobs open, record stock market highs across every index — what’s not to like about this story?”

Moore said the combination of easing inflation, strong job growth, and Trump’s tax cuts putting more money into workers’ paychecks sets the stage for continued economic momentum heading into 2026.