Ackman doubles down on pause: Thoughts on Trump tariffs 'misinterpreted'

Billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman on Tuesday doubled down on his call for a pause on President Trump’s sweeping tariff agenda and suggested others “misinterpreted” his comments.

“Some have misinterpreted my thoughts on tariffs. I am totally supportive of President @realDonaldTrump using tariffs to eliminate tariffs and unfair trading practices of our trading partners, and to induce more investment and manufacturing in our country,” Ackman said Tuesday morning on the social platform X.

“I am advocating for a 30, 60, or 90- day pause before the tariffs are implemented tomorrow to enable negotiations to be completed without a major global economic disruption that will harm the most vulnerable companies and citizens of our country,” he added. 

In the wake of Trump's announcement last week that the U.S. would impose a 10 percent baseline tariff on nearly all foreign trading partners — plus additional higher tariffs for several countries — the stock market has faced significant dips and concern over the economy has surged.

However, the president was insistent Monday the tariffs are a requirement for the rebalancing of trade and reorientation of the U.S. economy following years of the U.S. economy being taken advantage of. 

Ackman on Tuesday signaled support for the administration to negotiate with foreign nations over the import taxes.

“If a country does not negotiate in good faith, then @realDonaldTrump can bring the hammer down," he wrote online, adding, "but doing so without giving time to make deals creates unnecessary harm."

His comments come after the billionaire investor suggested Sunday that the president should consider a “90-day time out” for the tariffs to let him negotiate and solve “asymmetric tariff deals and induce trillions of dollars of new investment in our country.”

“If, on the other hand, on April 9th we launch economic nuclear war on every country in the world, business investment will grind to a halt, consumers will close their wallets and pocket books, and we will severely damage our reputation with the rest of the world that will take years and potentially decades to rehabilitate,” Ackman wrote.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.