‘He has never done a hot second of economic analysis’: Senator Chris Murphy on how Trump is using tariffs as a political weapon

Murphy talked to ‘Fast Company’ about what he believes is Trump’s real motivation: a tool to force businesses to ‘bend the knee’ to him.

When Trump unveiled his sweeping tariffs last week, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut made the case that they weren’t about economic policy. Instead, he says, they’re a tool to force businesses (and countries) to pledge loyalty to Trump. We talked to Murphy about Trump’s motivations, what Congress should be doing in this moment, and how citizens can make sense of the chaos and make their voices heard. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)