WorldView: Trump Tariffs, ‘Big Beautiful Bill’,Musk Fallout: Ex-White House insider George David Banks Explains

ThePrint

In this episode of ThePrint WorldView, Consulting Editor and foreign policy expert Dr. Swasti Rao sits down with George "David" Banks, one of the rare American policy insiders to have served under three U.S. Presidents—George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. A seasoned advisor with experience across the CIA, the State Department, and the National Economic and National Security Councils, Banks brings unmatched insight into the tectonic shifts underway in America’s political economy. As Trump’s former Special Assistant for International Energy and Environment, and Republican Deputy Staff Director at the Senate Environment Committee, he was at the heart of key policy transformations during Trump 1.0. In this candid conversation, Banks unpacks the driving forces behind Trump 2.0's economic populism, the much-debated “Big Beautiful Bill,” and the rationale behind the 10% tariff baseline that signals a permanent shift in U.S. trade policy. He explains why Elon Musk has publicly broken ranks with Trump, how the climate agenda is being sidelined, and why the Republican Party is undergoing a deep identity crisis between isolationism and global cooperation. He also weighs in on India’s place in Trump’s geopolitical calculus, what has changed, what hasn’t, and what New Delhi must prepare for if Trump returns to the White House. #trump #tarrifs #india #us #elonmusk #musk