'Very, very powerful': PM Wong's response to Trump tariffs strikes a chord with audiences worldwide

Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong uploaded a video on Apr. 4, 2025, reacting to the slew of global tariffs announced by United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump.

The video, titled "Implications of U.S. Tariffs", outlined some of the potential dangers and consequences of Trump’s Tariffs, and warned Singaporeans of "more shocks" to come.

"The global calm and stability we once knew will not return anytime soon. We cannot expect that the rules which protected small states will still hold," PM Wong said.

Later, on Apr. 8, he delivered a ministerial statement in parliament addressing the tariff situation, adding that Trump's baseline 10 percent tariffs "are not actions one does to a friend".

All the same, PM Wong's words resonated with audiences worldwide beyond Singapore too.

"It's easy to forget what real politicians sound like."

Both PM Wong's video and his speech in Parliament circulated widely amongst users from around the globe on social media platforms like X and Bluesky.

One Bluesky user, Matt Novak from the U.S., quoted PM Wong's ministerial statement in his post, which has since received 35,800 likes and 513 replies.

One of the replies read: "It's easy to forget what real politicians sound like."

One X user from Nigeria, @savvyrinu, compared PM Wong's Apr. 4 video to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's lack of a direct response to the Trump tariffs.

Reposting a clip from the video, the user wrote:

"This is Lawrence Wong, Singapore PM explaining the consequences of Trump’s tariffs to Singaporeans. Nigerian exports will be hit at a rate of 14 percent too. Has Tinubu explained anything about Trump’s tariffs will affect Nigeria??"

Another X user, this time from Pakistan, lauded PM Wong's timely response to the tariffs to that of his own country, singling out Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's lack of a response back on Apr. 8:

"This is how the leaders targets to stay ahead of curve. Lawrence Wong Singapore Prime Minister analysis on Trumpnomics Trade Tariff.

When will we come to hear from Shahbaz Sharif?"

PM Sharif, on Apr. 10, announced plans to start negotiations with Trump over the tariffs. 

"Reality check"

PM Wong’s video was reposted by the Hindustan Times, and garnered over 5.6 million views on YouTube as of Apr. 10.

The title of the video called PM Wong's speech a "chilling warning" to the world "amid chaotic trump tariffs".

The thumbnail called the speech "viral":

The comments section were particularly laudatory about PM Wong's video.

Many called the video "profound" and "clear", and explained how it struck a chord with them:

The Hindustan Times also posted the speech given by PM Wong in parliament on Apr. 8, titling it as a “reality check”.

That video also garnered a whopping 1.7 million views.

"Very, very powerful"

The Rest is Politics, a British podcast hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart with a focus on global politics and current affairs, also mentioned PM Wong’s speech in their episode which aired on Apr. 9.

The episode, titled "Trump's Rampage: The Fight Against Global Crisis", was unpacking the possible reasons behind Trump's tariffs in the first place, as well as sketching out the global response.

Campbell, at one point in the video, was talking about how the Trump administration was "unpicking virtually every international rule and order that we have taken for granted for most of our lives".

He then mentioned PM Wong's Apr. 4 video:

"He did a speech where, just a short piece to camera, but it was very, very powerful... because he basically said that this is arbitrary, it's protectionist and it's unbelievably dangerous.

And this is America which built this system. Yes, it needs reform, but this isn't reform. This is a destruction."

He then opined that PM Wong's response could be an exemplar for world leaders in how to respond to the tariffs.

"I think there has to be more of that, instead of 'let's all pretend this is normal and we're just kind of going to have to do a deal somehow'", Campbell added.

Later in the video, Campbell unpacked his thoughts on the British and European response:

"And I worry at the moment, and I know it's only been a few days, but very soon, before very long, leaders like Keir Starmer, Macron, Merz and the rest of them have got to start thinking about what this actually means for the future...

Yes, Trump may go, but this is a fundamental change. And the answer for us, Europe is now on its own."

Top photo from MDDI Singapore/YouTube, The Hindustan Times/YouTube.