Dr Mahathir warns Trump’s tariffs will backfire, expects policy reversal within three months

PUTRAJAYA, May 9 — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that US President Donald Trump will be forced to reconsider his tough global tariff policies within three months, warning that the strategy will ultimately harm the United States and turn Americans against their leader.

In an interview with AFP just two months before his 100th birthday, Dr Mahathir said Trump’s trade decisions were outdated and damaging. “Trump will find that his tariffs are hurting America, and the people in America will end up against him,” he said.

Malaysia is among the Asian countries facing the impact of Trump’s trade measures, with a 24 percent tariff set to take effect in July unless an agreement is reached.

“It’s going to cause America a lot of problems, so I give Trump three months,” said Mahathir, who led Malaysia for nearly 25 years over two separate terms.

Still active and working five days a week from his office in Putrajaya, the outspoken statesman didn't mince words. “Donald Trump is irrational. I don’t think he thinks carefully about what he’s doing,” he said, criticising the US president’s approach to migration, government cost-cutting, and mass layoffs.

“These things will not make America great,” he added, taking aim at Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Commenting on some of Trump’s foreign policy ideas, including plans to buy Greenland and take control of the Panama Canal, Mahathir said the US leader is “living in an old world.”

‘Can’t stop China’

A longtime advocate of Malaysia’s “Look East” policy, Mahathir remains firm in his belief that Asian nations should find their own path instead of relying on the West.

While China has borne the brunt of US trade penalties—with tariffs as high as 145 percent—Mahathir maintained that the world cannot ignore China’s growing power and capabilities.

“You cannot just stop China because its ability, its capacity is the same as those of Western countries,” he said.

He also noted that the US appears unwilling to accept China’s rise. “For a long time, the US has praised itself as the world’s top power but now struggles to accept China’s development.”

Mahathir stressed that Malaysia seeks good relations with both Washington and Beijing. “We don’t want to quarrel with China, but we don’t want to quarrel with America either,” he said. “Malaysia’s policy is to be friendly with all countries.”

Set to celebrate his 100th birthday on July 10, Mahathir remains one of the last prominent leaders from the post-colonial era. Despite recent health issues—including a respiratory infection and extended hospital stays—his opinions continue to carry weight both locally and regionally.

Although he no longer holds office—his coalition government, which included current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, collapsed in 2020—Mahathir is still a significant voice in Malaysian and regional politics.

When asked about his legacy, the former premier simply replied, “That is for others to judge.” — AFP