Billionaire Richard Branson Criticizes Trump’s Tariff Decisions: ‘World Was On The Verge Of A Complete Meltdown’

Tariff policies and plans by the Trump administration are not being well received by many consumers in the U.S. and people around the world.

A British billionaire is the latest to speak out on the negative impact the tariffs could have on global economics.

What Happened: Billionaire Richard Branson, best known for the Virgin Group and subsidies, is not being quiet when it comes to speaking out about President Donald Trump’s tariff plans.

“He’s in danger of doing so much damage in the world. It’s just sad, incredibly sad,” Branson said earlier this week while boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight, as reported by The Times.

Branson said Trump is “in danger of doing so much damage” to the world with his tariff policies.

“The world was on the verge of a complete meltdown two weeks ago.”

The billionaire said Trump’s tariff decisions “have financially done a lot of harm.”

With Trump backtracking on some tariff plans, Branson said the president’s policymaking is showing signs of being “erratic.”

“The unpredictability is just awful for everybody around the world.”

Branson said people are delaying decisions on investment and spending with the unpredictability caused by Trump worldwide.

The billionaire said companies will “manage as we always do” to fight on in the tariff era. Branson said his cruise ships and airlines were booming before the trade war caused “a bit of softness in the U.S.”

Branson said the softness for Virgin Atlantic for flights from the U.S. to Europe has partially been offset by Virgin’s new route from Toronto to London and Canadians upset by Trump’s tariffs and his “51st state” label placed on Canada.

“Canadians are flooding the U.K. and are not going to America.”

Read Also: Billionaire Richard Branson Criticizes Trump’s Decision To Withdraw From Paris Climate Deal: ‘Powering The World With Clean Energy Is Common Sense’

More Criticism: Along with criticizing Trump’s tariff policies, Branson also took exception to the U.S., led by Trump, deciding to “jump side” on Ukraine in their fight with Russia.

Branson said this put the U.S. on the wrong side of history and “should worry the world the most.”

The billionaire said it could be a “fairly small elite of people” around the president causing the U-turn on Ukraine.

“I don’t think he’s carrying the vast majority of Americans in what he’s doing. Most American people are decent individuals. Many Americans I know are just very sad.”

Branson asked if Trump will “abide by the treaty America signed in 1994” and support Ukraine. The billionaire said if America won’t support Ukraine, Europe needs to step up.

“We’ve got to ramp up weapons supplies, like we haven’t done since the Second World War.”

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Photo: Sergei Bachlakov via Shutterstock