The week that Trump pushed the global economy to the brink with tariffs – and then pulled back

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during an event in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Washington. WASHINGTON — The stock market was soaring and the sun was shining when U.S. President Donald Trump stepped out of the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon. Less than two hours earlier, he had retreated from his plans to increase tariffs on many U.S. trading partners, and investors were rejoicing after bracing for a global economic meltdown. "You've got the markets seeing your brilliance," Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, told the president. Trump…