In a move that shocked many on the right, The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed suggesting President Donald Trump should be impeached, again.
And it didn’t come from a liberal firebrand or a longtime Trump critic.
It came from Holman W. Jenkins Jr., a conservative columnist who, as David Pakman noted, has “been defending Republican policy for decades.”
Pakman, host of The David Pakman Show, called it a “huge deal” during his Saturday segment.
“It is not written by some Never Trumper,” he emphasized.
“It’s written by a conservative columnist who’s been defending Republican policy for decades.”
‘May Even Be Desirable’
Jenkins’s op-ed argues that Trump’s tariff war with China is putting the U.S. economy in serious danger—and that impeachment might be the least bad option left.
“A future Trump impeachment seemed all but guaranteed,” Jenkins wrote. “It may even be desirable to restore America’s standing with creditors and trade partners.”
According to Jenkins, Trump’s trade policies are not only damaging but also possibly illegal and unconstitutional.
“A grief-filled fight lies ahead over whether his trade actions have even been legal and constitutional,” he warned.
Billionaires Are Starting to Panic
Pakman says this sudden shift isn’t about Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric or immigration policies. It’s about money.
The billionaire class is finally realizing that Trump’s erratic economic decisions could jeopardize their wealth and power.
“Investors are losing faith in the United States as a stable and sane place to put their money,” Pakman said.
“Their wealth isn’t just about dollars and stocks. It’s about the U.S. being the world’s reserve currency, the safe haven for capital. And Trump is setting that on fire.”
He added that billionaires once viewed Trump as a useful tool for tax cuts and deregulation.
Now, many see him as a “wrecking ball” who could take down the entire system that made them rich.
‘Neurotic’ and Ratings-Driven
Jenkins wrote very openly when talking about Trump’s leadership style, calling his trade agenda “neurotic.”
He said Trump invented a “gratuitously ambitious mission” based on his own confused intuition.
“Nobody in Mr. Trump’s orbit actually shares his belief in the magical efficacy of tariffs because it makes sense only in a world that doesn’t exist,” Jenkins wrote.
He also took aim at the broader political landscape, arguing that Trump’s rise was partially enabled by the failures of his opponents, especially the media.
“The wild card that couldn’t be foreseen was the lying, cowardice and self-discrediting of his opponents, especially the press, which afforded him an improbable legitimacy.”
Is There a Way Out?
While Jenkins doesn’t offer a clear path forward, he says there might still be time for Trump to change course if he abandons the trade war and shifts focus to domestic tax and regulatory reform.
But Pakman isn’t so sure that’s in the cards. “They wanted a puppet,” he said.
“Instead, they got someone who’s out of control, and now they’re panicking.”
IMAGE CREDIT: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.