Donald Trump Crowns Himself 'Tariff King' in Late-Night Rant Despite Polling Showing His Trade War Is Extremely Unpopular
Donald Trump labeled himself 'Mister Tariff', then escalated to calling himself the 'Tariff King'.
Jan. 17 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump went on a late-night rant on Truth Social to boast about economic and trade policies, declaring himself a "king", RadarOnline.com can report.
'Tariff King'
Donald Trump launched a late-night flurry of Truth Social posts.
Trump fired off a series of messages on Truth Social, including one aimed at CNN, a network he frequently criticizes, while highlighting what he described as positive coverage of falling mortgage rates.
"Even Fake News CNN is praising the DROP in Mortgage Interest Rates!" Trump wrote in the late-night message. The post included a clip from Thursday's CNN News Central that credited lower mortgage rates to a Trump policy, though critics have argued the effect may be temporary.
Minutes later, Trump pivoted to trade, a policy area he has long championed despite consistently weak public support. He posted two black-and-white images of himself seated behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, staring directly at the camera.
The first image labeled Trump "Mister Tariff".
Seconds later, another post escalated the branding to "Tariff King".
Trump's Trade War
Public polling shows tariffs are Trump’s most unpopular policy.
Polling has repeatedly shown Trump's import taxes to be his most unpopular policy. In the most recent Economist/YouGov poll, tariffs ranked last among a list of Trump initiatives.
Even as public outrage has mounted over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations — including incidents tied to the killing of Renee Good — Trump's approval rating on immigration still exceeds public support for his tariff policy.
Trump's approach to Venezuela came close to tariffs in overall favorability, with both registering 37 percent approval. However, Venezuela's policy drew significantly less opposition, with an unfavorable rating of 50 percent, compared with higher disapproval for tariffs.
Using Tariffs
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Trump’s approval rating on immigration remains higher than support for tariffs.
Trump has also recently signaled his willingness to wield tariffs as a blunt tool of foreign policy, posting a message threatening economic penalties tied to Iran.
"Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Despite sustained public disapproval and past backlash — including the wave of "No Kings" protests last year — Trump has continued to embrace the tariff label "tariff king" and openly associate himself with the policy, presenting it as a core pillar of his presidency.
