Trump Pushing U.S. Dollar To The Precipice: Indianapolis Star

The United States may be on the verge of an economic crisis that could leave the country poorer for generations, Indianapolis Star columnist James Briggs warned in a recent opinion piece.

Americans’ financial stability remains at the mercy of Trump's decisions.

The danger, he wrote, remains largely intangible—for now. That’s the good news. There’s still time to change course and avoid the worst of the potential damage.

President Trump on Tuesday told reporters that his 145% tariffs on China could “come down substantially” and that he has “no intention of firing” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell—something he has previously threatened.

But, as Briggs noted, Trump “could change his mind and then change it again.” Americans’ financial stability, he argued, remains at the mercy of Trump's decisions.

While the plunging stock market may seem like the biggest headline, Briggs says something more troubling is happening: the U.S. dollar is losing value against nearly every major global currency, while yields on 10-year Treasury bonds are rising.

That combination signals "capital flight"—a moment when global investors lose trust and begin dumping U.S. assets.

Economics writer Noah Smith, cited in the article, noted: “Usually, when economic times are bad, people rush to buy Treasuries instead of selling them. Even in the financial crisis of 2008, investors all over the world moved their money into America because Treasuries were considered the safest asset in the world. So yields went down, and the dollar went up.”

“This time,” Smith wrote, “investors are responding to a U.S. economic crisis by looking around for the exits.

The most likely reason is that investors have begun to see U.S. government bonds as a risky asset instead of a safe one. And the obvious reason is Donald Trump’s economic policies.”

The piece was also published by the Courier Journal.