In a moment that quickly ricocheted across social media, President Donald Trump found himself on the defensive after a pointed question during a White House press conference on May 28 — and he did not take it well.
With his second term already proving as combative as the first, Trump has rolled out a fresh barrage of executive orders and steep tariffs that have rattled global markets and sparked debate from Wall Street to Washington. While initial reactions were rocky — with stocks for major players like Apple and Walmart dipping — markets have since steadied. And according to some financial analysts, the reason is as much psychological as it is economic.
Enter the acronym: T.A.C.O. — “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
Coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong earlier this month, the nickname has gained traction among traders and pundits. It’s a cheeky reference to what they see as Trump’s habit of making bold tariff threats, only to scale them back at the last minute. And on May 28, CNBC reporter Megan Casella brought that phrase directly to the president.
“They’re saying ‘Trump Always Chickens Out’ on the tariff threats and that’s why markets are higher this week. What’s your response to that?”
Trump blinked. “I kick out?” he asked.
Casella clarified: “Chicken out.”
The president’s expression soured. Moments later, he launched into a tirade:
“I’ve never heard that. You ask a nasty question like that. It’s called negotiation. You set a number… if I set a number at a ridiculous high, I go down a little bit, they want me to hold that number. 145% tariff.”
He continued, defending his strategy and attacking the premise:
“We were doing no business because of the tariff, because it was so high. I knew that. But don’t ever say what you said. That’s a nasty question.”
Visibly rattled, Trump added:
“Six months ago, this country was stone-cold dead. We had a country, people didn’t think it was gonna survive. And you ask a nasty question like that?”
And that wasn’t the end of it.
“Don’t ever say what you said. That’s a nasty question,” he repeated sternly, pointing at Casella.
The moment instantly set off a wave of commentary online, with the term “T.A.C.O.” trending on X (formerly Twitter) by the end of the day. Critics argued that the president’s inability to handle even light economic satire only reaffirmed the nickname, while supporters accused the press of taking cheap shots.
But the press corps knows this isn’t new territory.
Just a week earlier, on May 20, Trump had another terse interaction with a reporter — this time from nonprofit outlet NOTUS. The journalist asked about GOP Rep. Andy Harris’s claim that Trump hadn’t sufficiently convinced lawmakers to support a recent spending bill.
Trump’s retort?
“Who? I don’t even know what the hell that is. Get yourself a real job.”
If anyone had hoped a second Trump presidency would usher in a more restrained relationship with the media, that hope has been roundly dispelled. If anything, Trump appears more quick-tempered than ever when his policies — or pride — are questioned.
As for the “T.A.C.O.” label, it’s unclear if Trump will address it further. But judging by his reaction, it’s already hit a nerve — and that may only guarantee it spreads further.
