Donald Trump Is Meddling in Markets. It's a Dangerous Line to Cross
If it wasn't already clear that Donald Trump has qualms about free markets, his comments today about defense companies and the housing market should end any debate.U.S. markets have long been an envy of the world. Our federal government regulates them to protect retail investors, yet allows them to flourish. It's no accident that most of the world's biggest companies are American.In his second term, Trump has repeatedly intervened in industries or threatened to do so. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that President Trump is set to sign an executive order that will "punish defense companies that repurchase stocks, pay dividends and reward executives with high salaries if they have Pentagon contracts that are over budget or behind schedule.". Trump wrote on his social-media website Truth Social: "All United State Defense Contractors, and the Defense Industry as a whole, BEWARE: While we make the best Military Equipment in the World (No other Country is even close!His actions We