JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says Trump tariffs will boost inflation, slow an already weakening U.S. economy

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says Trump tariffs will boost inflation, slow an already weakening U.S. economy


JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon: Trump tariffs will boost inflation, slow an already weakening U.S. economy

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Monday that tariffs announced by President Donald Trump last week will likely boost prices on both domestic and imported goods, weighing down a U.S. economy that had already been slowing.

Dimon, 69, addressed the tariff policy Trump announced on April 2 in his annual shareholder letter, which has become a closely read screed on the state of the economy, proposals for the issues facing the U.S. and his take on effective management.

“Whatever you think of the legitimate reasons for the newly announced tariffs – and, of course, there are some – or the long-term effect, good or bad, there are likely to be important short-term effects,” Dimon said. “We are likely to see inflationary outcomes, not only on imported goods but on domestic prices, as input costs rise and demand increases on domestic products.”

“Whether or not the menu of tariffs causes a recession remains in question, but it will slow down growth,” he said.

Dimon is the first CEO of a major Wall Street bank to publicly address Trump’s sweeping tariff policy as global markets crash. Though the JPMorgan chairman has often used his platform to highlight geopolitical and financial risks he sees, this year’s letter comes at an unusually turbulent time. Stocks have been in freefall since Trump’s announcement shocked global markets, causing the worst week for U.S. equities since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

His remarks appear to backtrack earlier comments he made in January, when Dimon said that people should “get over” tariff concerns because they were good for national security. At the time, tariff levels being discussed were far lower than what was unveiled last week.

Trump’s tariff policy has created “many uncertainties,” including its impact on global capital flows and the dollar, the impact to corporate profits and the response from trading partners, Dimon said.

“The quicker this issue is resolved, the better because some of the negative effects increase cumulatively over time and would be hard to reverse,” he said. “In the short run, I see this as one large additional straw on the camel’s back.”

‘Not so sure’

While the U.S. economy has performed well for the past few years, helped by nearly $11 trillion in government borrowing and spending, it was “already weakening” in recent weeks, even before Trump’s tariff announcement, according to Dimon. Inflation is likely to be stickier than many anticipate, meaning that interest rates could remain elevated even as the economy slows, he added.

“The economy is facing considerable turbulence (including geopolitics), with the potential positives of tax reform and deregulation and the potential negatives of tariffs and ‘trade wars,’ ongoing sticky inflation, high fiscal deficits and still rather high asset prices and volatility,” Dimon said.

Dimon also struck a somewhat ominous note considering how much U.S. stocks have already fallen from their recent highs. According to the JPMorgan CEO, both stocks and credit spreads were still potentially too optimistic.

“Markets still seem to be pricing assets with the assumption that we will continue to have a fairly soft landing,” Dimon said. “I am not so sure.”

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.



Source

DOJ drops charges against Fat Brands, chair Andy Wiederhorn
Business

DOJ drops charges against Fat Brands, chair Andy Wiederhorn

Andy Wiederhorn, former Fatburger CEO. CNBC The Justice Department is dropping its case against Fat Brands and its chair Andy Wiederhorn. In May 2024, the company and Wiederhorn were indicted by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles on charges of wire fraud, tax evasion and other counts related to what prosecutors alleged was a […]

Read More
Wall Street sees Starbucks comeback taking hold, even after another lackluster quarter
Business

Wall Street sees Starbucks comeback taking hold, even after another lackluster quarter

Customers enter a Starbucks coffee shop in New York, US, on Monday, July 28, 2025. Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images Wall Street is seeing early signs that Starbucks‘ turnaround is taking hold, despite a quarterly earnings miss and another quarter of shrinking same-store sales. “The focus for Starbucks’ third fiscal quarter was […]

Read More
Architecture firms report decline in billings for commercial real estate
Business

Architecture firms report decline in billings for commercial real estate

Two architecture teachers discuss a student’s final project work. Erdark | E+ | Getty Images A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors […]

Read More