Big support for Donald Trump: Jim Cramer shocks Wall Street with pro-tariff stance, slams free trade; ‘It’s cost us fortunes’

Host of CNBC's «Mad Money» took a clear stand against the idea, attributing the economic downfall of small towns throughout the United States to it.

«I am for tariffs, plain and simple. I despise free trade,» Cramer insisted on an episode of his program, as quoted in a report by Bezinga.

He continued on to say, «It's been embarrassing to our nation. It's cost us millions. Everyone takes advantage of us. There's just no limit to it.»

Cramer's comments are opposite to the general assumption that free trade boosts economic growth and global cooperation. Instead, he had claimed that the focus on cheap imports has done harm to small towns.

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«We like cheap things in this nation, but at some point, we also destroyed our small towns, and that's what I'm concerned about,» Cramer said.

Support for Trump's Tariff Policies

The remarks by Cramer follow the added attention on President Donald Trump's trade policies. Trump recently declared a 25% tariff on foreign-manufactured cars and certain auto components, prompting the debate on its projected impacts on the economy.
The president is also set to release «reciprocal tariffs» within this week, which some experts speculate could be less harsh than originally expected.

The vocal finance expert had earlier forecast that the tariffs on autos were imminent, pointing to the large number of imports into the country. He observed that the Trump administration had granted a one-month reprieve to automakers after the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which was negotiated during his first term.

Even though he is a self-proclaimed pro-tariff advocate, Cramer conceded that trade policy uncertainty has a downward effect on investors and stock markets. He credited a recent