Unmitigated disaster: Spadea slams Trump tariffs, blaming President for New Jersey’s woes.
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea publicly criticized former President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and voiced support for Elon Musk amid a growing rift between the two high-profile figures, signaling a break from Trump just weeks before the state’s Republican primary.
Today, Spadea said, “Elon is right”, taking sides in the battle between the two billionaires.
In a social media post, Spadea wrote, “Elon is right,” in response to the ongoing feud between Trump and Musk, while echoing criticism of Trump’s trade strategy, even blaming the President for problems currently facing New Jersey.
It was a moment that would make even Chris Christie proud of the former AM/FM radio host.
The post also included a quote from political commentator Ian Miles Cheong stating, “They are an unmitigated disaster,” referring to the former president’s tariffs.
Spadea, who had previously campaigned with messaging aligned with Trump-style populism, took issue with the recent impact of tariffs on New Jersey businesses.
“Millions of dollars in products stuck at our ports,” Spadea wrote, referencing a backlog caused by import costs. “Companies… are unable to afford to receive shipments they already borrowed or paid cash for.”
It’s not the first time the candidate, who has been telling his supporters to invest heavily into Trump, dumped Trump when things seemed politically convenient. Spadea called for Trump’s resignation and called him a failed president shortly after the January 6th protest on Capitol Hill.
Now, Musk is calling for Trump to be impeached. Spadea said Elon is right, after the tech billionaire shared a post calling for the impeachment of the President.
While Spadea stated he supports tariffs in principle as a means to counter foreign adversaries and boost U.S. manufacturing, he criticized the implementation under Trump’s approach.
“[Trump’s] fast roll out has hurt many NJ (and others) companies,” he said.
Spadea targets GOP rival as primary nears
Spadea also used the opportunity to attack Republican primary opponent Jack Ciattarelli, calling him “aging, bitter, unprincipled” and claiming he lacks the strength to negotiate with the White House or represent the party effectively.
Spadea’s break with Trump comes as the former president endorsed Ciattarelli on May 12, a move that reshaped the dynamics of the June 10 GOP primary. The endorsement sparked a shift in campaign strategies and donor interest.
By distancing himself from Trump’s economic policy and aligning with Musk, Spadea appears to be recalibrating his platform in the final stretch of the race.
Spadea’s comments are a significant u-turn from his earlier pro-Trump messaging as the Republican primary enters its final days.
