Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, a major Republican donor, said he supports President Donald Trump’s overall economic goals — cutting government spending, maintaining a competitive environment with trading partners and restoring the U.S. manufacturing — but warns that the government’s current approach is undermining what he calls “American brand,” a reputation that may require repairs.
“The United States is not only a country; whether it is our culture, our financial strength, our military power. The United States is not just a country. It’s like a world’s aspiration, and we are eroding the brand right now,” Griffin said in a stage interview held today (D.C., April 23) in the World Economic Visit Room at Semafor, Griffin said in a stage interview today (April 23).
Griffin’s comments came a sudden pause of tariffs a few days later after Trump announced earlier this month that he had announced tariffs in most countries. The whip shocked the market, and investors sold U.S. stocks and fiscal bonds, the safest investment in the world. The sell-off shows that doubts are deepening not only about the U.S. economy, but also about the credibility of the U.S. government.
“In the financial market, there is no brand in comparison to U.S. Treasury brands – the strength of the dollar, the credibility of the U.S. Treasury. “It can take a long time to eliminate the crush on the brand. ”
The sell-off of fiscal bonds has led to a weakening of the US dollar on other major currencies. Using the euro as a reference, the United States “has become more than 20% in four weeks.”
Griffin, discussing the broader implications of Trump’s trade policy and its administration’s position on the Ukrainian war, added: “We are shocked by the U.S. commitment to multilateralism, the promise of free trade. We have raised doubts about the role of the U.S. in terms of global security.”
Griffin urged President Trump, along with his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Business Secretary Howard Lutnick, to “very considerate” in policy making to protect the United States’ global image. “When you have a brand, you need to act in a way that respects the brand, which can enhance the brand because when you break the brand, you can spend your life fixing the damage that has been done,” he said.
Later, at the same meeting, President Trump’s chief economic adviser Stephen Miran delayed Griffin’s remarks, saying he disagrees with the administration’s tariff policies that are hurting U.S. brands. He encouraged investors to go beyond the short-term negative impact of tariffs.
“At the end of the day, American brands invest in the U.S., invest in the U.S., the desire to hire in the U.S. is a function of economic opportunity,” Milan said. “President Trump and his administration are focusing on building the best economy in the U.S. ever. I think you have to negotiate tariffs on trade deals negotiated, and tax breaks negotiated with Congress.”
