National Review’s Rich Lowry Tells Fox News Why Trump’s ‘TACO’ Nickname is Sticking: ‘A Real Phenomenon’

Long-time conservative thought leader Rich Lowry explained to Fox’s Howard Kurtz why the ‘TACO‘ nickname (Trump always chickens out) is resonating.

During a Wednesday Oval Office event, President Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter over her “nasty question” on critics accusing him of “always chickening out.”

Trump took questions following the swearing in of Jeanine Pirro and learned in real time on the term TACO, meaning “Trump Always Chickens Out.” The term was reportedly first coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong, and it’s since picked up steam with Wall Streeters who believe Trump’s tariff negotiations first tanked the markets, leading to him inevitably backing off.

“Mr. President, Wall Street analysts have coined a new term called the taco trade. They’re saying Trump always chickens out on your tariff threats. And that’s why markets are higher this week. What’s your response to that?” CNBC White House correspondent Megan Casella asked Trump.

Trump said he’d never heard the term and pushed back against the accusation, touting his tariffs against China and the foreign investment agreements he’s gotten done in his first months in office. The president declared he turned the United States from “stone cold dead” economically under former President Joe Biden to the “hottest country in the world” today.

Kurtz played the clip at the top of the segment before asking Lowry if he felt this insult was “fair game.”

“Yeah, it’s totally fair game,” the National Review editor replied. “And apparently Trump was irritated in part because he hadn’t hurt it, and afterwards was irked with his aides not telling him about this.”

“But look — TACO — it’s catchy , kind of funny and gets to a real phenomenon with the tariffs, which he’s backed off them,” he added.

“Now, the case you could make for Trump — Ross Douthat in the New York Times has a very good column about this today, is that he’s a maneuverer, right, and when he gets out over his skis and gets something, gets somewhere, it’s unsustainable or really unpopular,” he said. “He backs off, which is what a good politician does.”

“But this kind of connects to the discussion we’re having with Russia. What you don’t want to have happen is for everyone to conclude that he just makes these threats and never falls through on them. So I’m glad he’s backed off the terrorists, but just overseas, he’s going to have to make clear to people that he’s not just a paper tiger,” he concluded.

Watch above via Fox News.

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