Trump’s Defense of Ivanka Reflects Approach That Could Hurt the Economy
Such actions, if meant to disrupt Nordstrom’s business, could be a signal to other retailers that it’ll be costly to cut off existing business relationships with the Trump family. This kind of bullying could have unintended consequences.
.. Even if you think her products are excellent, Mr. Trump’s outburst provides an incentive not to stock them. After all, if it doesn’t work out, who wants to be in the cross-hairs of an easily angered president with 24.3 million Twitter followers and the power of the regulatory state? It might be far safer to do business with someone else.
.. Mr. Trump’s strategy to protect his daughter’s business seems to mirror his strategy to protect American jobs. Just as he has made it more expensive for potential partners to sever business relationships with his daughter, the C.E.O.s of Carrier, General Motors and Toyota can attest that he has made it more expensive for them to sever their relationships with American workers.
.. The prospect of a costly Trump tantrum could give factory bosses reason to think twice before setting up shop in the United States. In the short run, perhaps Mr. Trump’s threats can slow a painful decline. But in the longer run, defending the status quo may do more harm than good.