Professor of Public Policy and Economics (on sabbatical leave)
Wolfers is an economist with broad policy-related interests and experience. He is also affiliated with the NBER, Brookings and the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He is a contributing columnist for the New York Times and host of the “Think Like An Economist” podcast. He is a popular teacher and author of a leading economics textbook.
From A.I. to zero emissions
Ford School faculty host and are featured in a variety of podcasts, covering policy topics from artificial intelligence, everyday economics, national security, and more.
My job has always been to demonstrate to...
Ford School professor Justin Wolfers explained to the New York Times why the bon market sell-off is so problematic, he said, “People feel nervous about lending us money,” and more than that, “They are saying, ‘We’ve lost our faith in America and the...
As the news buzzes with discussions of President Trump’s tariffs, economists and policymakers continue weighing the potential impacts of these policies. In a new opinion article published in the New York Times, Professor Justin Wolfers argues that...
Economist Justin Wolfers says levies could have a dramatic and long-lasting impact on consumers and the U.S. economy in an interview with Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences....
"The air is thick with recession talk, and stocks are cratering. But it just may be a mirage, a refraction of partisan distortions" wrote Ford School professor, Justin Wolfers, in a recent guest essay for The New York Times."It started with a...
If Trump's proposed 200% tariffs on alcohol coming from the EU are enacted, “it means your liquor store probably won’t stock it." Noted Justin Wolfers, an economics professor at the Ford School. He told CNN that he believes the tariff “would drive...
Justin Wolfers, Ford School professor talked with ABC Australia about Trump's trade war and how other countries like Australia have yet to retaliate. Wolfers said "we haven't seen any action of non-US countries imposing tariffs on each other so its...
Ford School professor Justin Wolfers tried to explain Donald Trump's thinking on the economy. He said, "There is an underlying economics of trump, and you won't be surprised I think it's dead wrong." Wolfers said, "There's the zero sum thinking and...
“Just because folks say they’re unhappy about the state of the economy, that doesn’t mean much,” said Justin Wolfers, an economics and public policy professor at the Ford School. Speaking with Marketplace, Wolfers asserts that it's important to...
On an ABC Australia review on the current economic state of the U.S. and the outlook on what's to come for business owners and CEOs. the Ford School's Justin Wolfers stated the Trump Administration's economic policies have "raised the possibility...
Ford School professor and economist Justin Wolfers discussed the impacts of tariffs, uncertainty, and consumer sentiment on the US economy with several news outlets last week. Wolfers highlighted the response the stock market had to tariffs and what...
Justin Wolfers, Ford School professor and economists, says the most recent job report data shows that “This is a fundamentally healthy labor market, continuing its earlier momentum, albeit at a slightly slower...
Following the third consecutive fall of The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, the Ford School's Justin Wolfers told CNN, “The fact that consumers don’t feel like it’s smooth sailing — you’ve got one very obvious suspect. That’s the White...
Elon Musk shared on social platform X, that almost 20 million people over age 100, with no death record, were receiving Social Security benefits. The Ford School's Justin Wolfers quickly jumped in to assert the falsehood in Musk's claims.Responding...
Speaking with MSNBC discussing President Trump's first month in office, the Ford School's Justin Wolfers illustrates the shortcomings of Trump's policies and the DOGE agency. Since DOGE has promised to cut federal spending by trillions, Wolfers...
The Federal Reserve Bank is set to lower rates as the economy stabilizes over the next few months. Speaking with The New York Times, the Ford School's Justin Wolfers cautioned businesses about these changes and the adaptations of the labor market...
Fixating on the early actions of the Trump administration, Justin Wolfers spoke with MSNBC on President Trump's imposed tariff policy. Wolfers explained how China has pushed back on the tariff policy. "China has levied a bunch of retaliation...
As President Trump doubles down on his threats for tariffs on foreign trade, the Ford School's Justin Wolfers isn't sure his tactics work economically. Wolfers told CNN, “Trump announces tariffs, so markets fall. Trump walks back tariffs, markets...
Justin Wolfers, Economist and Ford School professor talked with ABC Oz about possible the Trump administration tariffs. When if Trump would put tariffs on Australia Wolfers says "There's nothing you can do but guess with this guy" a nod to...
Ford School economics professor Justin Wolfers told Bloomberg TV's The Close that one of the biggest consequences of tariffs with Canada and Mexico could be on the many cross-border transactions that happen in the production of many consumer...
After winning Time magazine's person of the year, president-elect Donald Trump said, "It's very hard" to lower the cost of groceries. Throughout his campaign lowering prices at the grocery store and gas pump was a platform Trump ran on. The Ford...
Justin Wolfers, Ford School professor, talked about impacts of Trump's election on the market and the economy, saying "the market seems happy but that's because he is likely to deliver the tax cuts that make stocks more valuable." Also he noted,...
Justin Wolfers, Ford School professor and economist explained on CNN, "the simple story is this is not only a pretty good economy, its a downright good economy." Unemployment, GDP and inflation are all where they should be according to Wolfers. This...
Justin Wolfers, Ford School professor talked with CNN about Trump's former federal reserve pick's solution to inflation. Wolfers said, “Deflation can become a spiral with no end." He said aiming for zero inflation would be "like walking along the...
In a major recent New York Times article, the Ford School’s Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers represented the center-left in a discussion on economics with center-right economic advisors from the Trump administration, Jay Clayton and Gary Cohn. In...
Controversy arises as the Federal Reserve decides whether to cut interest rates less than 50 days before an election. Justin Wolfers argues the Fed should be "responding to the data, rather than the electoral cycle, or the demand of either side of...
Justin Wolfers, professor at the Ford School, told CNBC that Trump's proposed tariff plan is going to impact American consumers in more ways than just washing machines. "It's not just washing machines by the way, if you put it aside, you put a...
Justin Wolfers, professor at the Ford School, speaking with USA Today noted that Trump's plan for the economy is not a true policy. "Get rid of inflation' is not a policy... Saying 'I will ask people for their ideas about how to reduce inflation,'...
With the upcoming presidential election, media outlets are quoting Ford School's Justin Wolfers insights on the top concern for Americans this November: the economy. Wolfers comments on economic progress in America and the expected economic...
