In a recent social media post, President
Donald Trump appeared to coin a brand-new term — "panican" — leaving many scratching their heads and wondering what exactly he meant. Trump coined the term in a post on Truth Social on Monday, in which he pushed back on criticism over his new tariffs on multiple countries, calling on Americans to be patient and not be a "panican." The new phrase immediately provoked reaction on social media, with Representative Jack Kimble joking on X that he initially thought Trump's new word "panican" meant an invasion of Panama and Canada. Meanwhile, Representative
Marjorie Taylor Greene embraced the term, calling "panicans" losers and urging followers not to be one. According to Trump, a "panican" is a "new party based on weak and stupid people" who are panicking because of his implementation of tariffs. The term is not recognized in standard dictionaries and appears to be a neologism coined by Trump."
Why It Matters
Trump's new phrase came in response to criticism he has received over his new "Liberation Day" tariffs, announced last week. The tariffs sent the markets into turmoil, while economists have warned that they will likely raise prices on everyday goods and possibly cause a recession. But Trump has repeatedly doubled down on the tariffs, arguing that they are an opportunity to "change the fabric" of the United States. The term "panican" is Trump's newest way of brushing off his critics, adding to his history of surprising linguistic inventions. It joins a list of memorable Trumpisms like "covfefe" and "bigly" that have sparked both confusion and commentary.
What To Know
It comes after the White House imposed a
10 percent baseline tariff on all imports on Wednesday, including those from U.S. allies and non-economically active regions, along with higher rates for countries with large trade surpluses with the U.S. These include a 34 percent tariff on imports from China, 20 percent on goods from the
European Union , 25 percent from South Korea, 24 percent from Japan and 32 percent from Taiwan. Mexico and Canada, from which most U.S. produce imports come, are exempt from Trump's latest tariffs, but the 25 percent tariffs that he levied on both countries last month will remain. Trump's announcement sent the markets into turmoil on Thursday, with Wall Street suffering its worst day since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. By market close on Monday, the S&P 500 slipped 0.2 percent, while the
Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 349 points, or 0.9 percent. But Trump has defended his tariffs plan, saying that countries will no longer be able to abuse and take advantage of the U.S. "Oil prices are down, interest rates are down (the slow moving Fed should cut rates!), food prices are down, there is NO INFLATION, and the long time abused USA is bringing in Billions of Dollars a week from the abusing countries on Tariffs that are already in place," Trump said
on Truth Social . He added, "This is despite the fact that the biggest abuser of them all, China, whose markets are crashing, just raised its Tariffs by 34%, on top of its long term ridiculously high Tariffs (Plus!), not acknowledging my warning for abusing countries not to retaliate. They've made enough, for decades, taking advantage of the Good OL' USA! Our past 'leaders' are to blame for allowing this, and so much else, to happen to our Country." But economists remain unconvinced. CNBC host and market analyst Jim Cramer on Saturday warned of a repeat of the devastating
"Black Monday" collapse of October 19, 1987 , when the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw its worst single-day fall and plummeted 22.6 percent. University of Southern California professor Jonathan Aronson also warned that states including California and Texas will likely see reduced imports and therefore higher prices because of the tariffs. "In 2024, California was the largest importer of goods—$509 billion, close to 30 percent from China," he told
Newsweek . Texas was second, importing $384 billion worth of goods. The tariffs will likely cut down imports and raise prices in both states." There are also fears that the tariffs could cause inflation and possibly ignite a recession. Former Federal Reserve Governor, Frederic Mishkin, told
Newsweek last week: "If Trump puts in these kind of tariffs and we go into a trade war, the likelihood of a recession is going to be very high." He added that the tariffs would, in effect, amount to a "huge tax increase," and contribute to a period of stagflation—slow economic growth, coupled with high unemployment and accelerating inflation. Analysis by the Yale Budget Lab found that the Trump administration's announced tariffs are expected to drive up overall inflation by 2.3 percent this year alone. This includes a projected 2.8 percent increase in food prices and an 8.4 percent jump in automotive prices—resulting in an estimated $3,800 hit to the average American household.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump said on Truth Social : "The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Don't be Weak! Don't be Stupid! Don't be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!"
Representative Jack Kimble wrote on X: "Oh phew. When I heard Trump created a new word PANICAN, I thought that meant we were invading Panama and Canada today."
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X: "PANICANS are losers and failures! Don't be a PANICAN!!"
What Happens Next
The administration expects the new rates to remain in place until the U.S. narrows a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance recorded last year.
