John Authers, Columnist

Trump Wins the Hulkamania Tariffs Brawl He Started

His trade victims never got their common defense together to take on the bullying.

July 28, 2025 at 4:00 AM UTC

John Authers is a senior editor for markets and Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A former chief markets commentator at the Financial Times, he is author of “The Fearful Rise of Markets.”

Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan in Atlantic City, 1987.
Photographer: Jeffrey Asher/Archive/Getty

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In the week around the sad passing of the pro-wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, one of his most devoted fans, President Donald Trump, has been honoring his legacy. Wrestling is a staged performance, where the “winners” often portray themselves as bullies. Trump is getting results from Hulkamania in the much tougher world of international trade.