Virgin founder Richard Branson attacks Donald Trump over ‘erratic’ tariffs and ‘damaging the world’
Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson has warned Americans that ‘inflation hasn’t started kicking in’ yet, as he slams US President Donald Trump’s tariffs for ‘doing so much damage to the world’.
He made the comments at a Virgin Atlantic event on Wednesday, claiming ‘erratic policies are harming the global economy and isolating the United States.
It comes after the US President’s policy announcement on April 2, which sent the global market into a spiral. Wall Street reporting plunges, with stock and bond prices falling and the dollar weakening to a three-year low.
Mr Branson warned, “Inflation hasn’t started kicking in yet.. it will once these tariffs start kicking in”.
Mr Branson argued that Mr Trump’s approach, particularly his imposition of sweeping tariffs and shifting stance on Ukraine, has undermined business confidence and global stability.
Speaking ahead of Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight from London to Riyadh, Mr Branson singled out Mr Trump’s approach to Ukraine as the issue that “should worry the world the most,” and expressed doubt that the US President’s actions have the support of most Americans.
He said the president’s policies reflect the interests of a “small elite” around him rather than the wishes of most Americans.
“I honestly think this is a fairly small elite of people around Trump. I don’t think he is carrying the vast majority of Americans in what he is doing,” Mr Branson said.
Reflecting on the impact of recent policies, he added, “It’s just such a pity because everything was going so bloody well up to about three months ago.”
“If you take Virgin, our cruise ships were booming, our airlines were booming, our health clubs were full. They are still OK, but you just sort of feel, eurgh! If he continues he’s in such danger of doing so much damage in the world.”
“I don’t think he is representing the majority of Americans in what he is doing,” Mr Branson stated, adding that many Americans he knows are “incredibly sad” about the current direction.
He warned that the United States risks isolation as other regions such as Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and China could build a new economic powerhouse, potentially excluding America.
Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, Shai Weiss, noted that demand for US flights to the UK had weakened amid economic uncertainty but said the weaker dollar might encourage more British tourists to visit the US.
“We haven’t seen the dramatic shift like we have for Canada to the US and we don’t expect to see it. There have been no statements that Britain should be the 52nd state,” he said.
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