Warren Buffett Blasts Tariffs, Warns U.S. Risks Global Isolation

At Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, Warren Buffett didn’t hold back when discussing the impact of U.S. trade policy.

The legendary investor criticized the growing use of tariffs, calling them a strategic misstep that could damage the country’s economic ties and global influence.

Buffett expressed concern that the U.S. is steering toward isolation by adopting protectionist trade measures. He stressed that the path of global cooperation—through open markets and mutual exchange—remains far more beneficial than turning inward.

Buffett warned that when a nation begins shutting out international partners through tariffs, it risks more than just lost economic opportunities. “When you alienate billions abroad to satisfy a few million at home,” he said, “you weaken your foundation for long-term prosperity.”

READ MORE:

Bitcoin Sell-Off Risk Grows as Price Nears $100K Profit Zone

He argued that trade, when done right, plays a crucial role in economic stability and peace. But when used as leverage or a weapon, it invites unnecessary friction between nations. According to him, the healthiest economies are those that specialize and collaborate, not retreat behind barriers.

The investor’s remarks echo long-standing concerns among economists that protectionism could destabilize global supply chains and stoke geopolitical tensions. Some experts, such as economist Steve Hanke, have even suggested that such policies heighten the risk of a recession, drawing parallels to the trade policies that deepened the Great Depression nearly a century ago.

Buffett’s message was clear: competing in the global marketplace requires openness and trust, not walls and tariffs.

Alexander Stefanov