Steve Bannon and economist Joe Lavorgna—now serving as Special Counsel to the U.S. Treasury under President Trump—outlined a clear and confident vision for the American economy. The focus was Tariffs, tax cuts, capital investment, and a return to strong, working-class growth.

Lavorgna, formerly chief economist for the National Economic Council, made it clear: tariffs are here to stay—and they’re doing more good than harm. Unlike the fearmongering pushed by legacy media and globalists, he explained that the Trump administration’s tariffs are not causing inflation. Prices are stabilizing. That’s because, according to Lavorgna, foreign producers—especially in China—are eating the cost to stay competitive in the U.S. market.

Tariffs Are Fueling the Treasury
Lavorgna pointed out that tariffs are raising significant revenue—possibly up to $300 billion this year alone. That’s money going straight to the U.S. Treasury without having to raise taxes on American families. “It’s not just about protection,” he said, "it’s about incentivizing American production and capital investment.” By making foreign goods less artificially cheap, tariffs give U.S. manufacturers a level playing field on which to compete.

The Biden administration had quietly kept many Trump-era tariffs in place, despite criticizing them. Now, under Trump’s renewed leadership, those tariffs are being used more strategically to support American industry and jobs.

A Tax Cut That Kickstarts Growth
Lavorgna celebrated a major legislative win: the July 4th passage of Trump’s signature tax reform package. While specifics are still being finalized, he confirmed the package includes targeted tax cuts aimed at small businesses, manufacturers, and middle-class families. The goal is simple: unleash private investment and bring back jobs that were offshored under decades of globalist policies.

He predicted a second-half economic boom in 2025, as businesses respond to the friendlier environment with hiring, expansion, and long-term investment. "You can’t have strong wages without strong growth,” Lavorgna said. "This package is going to deliver both.”

BRICS Bluff and Dollar Dominance
Bannon raised the issue of BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) attempting to "de-dollarize” the global economy. Lavorgna dismissed it as mostly political theater. "There’s no substitute for the dollar,” he said. Global investors still overwhelmingly prefer U.S. assets, especially Treasury bonds and equities. The demand is there because the U.S. remains the most stable and innovative economy in the world.

A Blueprint for Blue-Collar Revival
At its core, the Trump economic program—now being fine-tuned for 2025 and beyond—isn’t about Wall Street. It’s about Main Street. Lavorgna emphasized that blue-collar workers are seeing real wage growth again, thanks to a tight labor market and policies that favor domestic production over outsourcing. Trump’s America-first economics are designed to reverse decades of stagnation and dependency, and Lavorgna believes the trend will only accelerate.

He acknowledged that some elite economists remain skeptical, but he doesn’t seem concerned. "We’re not going back to the old way of doing things,” he said. "This is a structural shift. And it’s working.”

Bottom Line:
Joe Lavorgna painted a picture of a reenergized American economy—fueled by tariffs, tax reform, and industrial revival. Far from the doom-and-gloom predictions of establishment economists, Trump’s policies are delivering real gains for the working class, without the inflationary pain. As Lavorgna put it: "The data speaks for itself.”

For more context, watch this segment: