1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

The current administration's disruptive trade policies and reckless budget cuts are sowing economic chaos and uncertainty, putting the nation at serious risk of recession. Businesses are being battered by tariffs that drive up costs for consumers, prompting many to scale back investment and hiring. The arbitrary firing of thousands of federal workers has destabilized critical government functions and will likely lead to major job losses soon. Rather than pursuing sensible policies to promote growth and stability, the White House seems bent on needlessly shaking confidence with mixed messages and erratic decisions that undermine the very "clarity" they claim to offer. Unless this pattern of manufactured turmoil is reversed, a self-inflicted economic downturn appears increasingly unavoidable. Voters should take heed that the real culprits behind any forthcoming recession will be the policies of disruption and uncertainty emanating from this administration and its allies in Congress. Prompt course correction is urgently needed to steer the economy back toward prosperity before it's too late.