President Donald Trump on Friday shared a controversial video on his social media platform, Truth Social, suggesting he is intentionally crashing the U.S. stock market. The post comes amid escalating fears over the economic fallout from his sweeping new tariffs. The minute-long video, originally posted on TikTok by a user with a modest following, went viral after being shared by Trump. It claims the president is strategically tanking the market as part of a calculated plan to force the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates, refinance national debt at lower costs, and boost the middle class through lower grocery prices. “Trump is crashing the stock market by 20 percent this month, but he’s doing it on purpose,” the AI-generated narrator claims, before outlining a theory that frames the president’s moves as a “wild chess game.” The timing of Trump’s post was critical. Just hours before, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had plunged more than 2,000 points, while the S&P 500 suffered a historic 5.7% drop, its worst day in nearly five years. The sharp market selloff followed Trump’s announcement of minimum 10% tariffs on imports, with even steeper duties for goods from China and the European Union. Despite widespread alarm, Trump doubled down on his rhetoric. Speaking to reporters before departing for his Florida golf club, he said, “The markets are going to boom, the stock is going to boom, the country is going to boom.” Economists, however, remain unconvinced. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, without directly addressing Trump’s post, warned Friday that the economic effects of the tariffs would likely include “higher inflation and slower growth.” He added, “It is now becoming clear that the tariff increases will be significantly larger than expected.” A Video Full of Misinformation The video Trump reposted includes several dubious claims. Among them is the assertion that billionaire investor Warren Buffett praised Trump’s economic strategy as the “best in 50 years.” In reality, Buffett has never made such a statement. A spokesperson for Berkshire Hathaway confirmed on Friday that the remarks attributed to Buffett were fabricated. In fact, Buffett has criticized tariffs in the past, calling them a “tax on consumers.” The clip also repeats the misleading claim that “94% of all stocks are owned by 8% of Americans” and that Trump’s actions are a form of economic justice targeting the rich. However, while it is true that a large share of market value is held by the wealthiest Americans, a majority of U.S. citizens have retirement savings and pensions tied to stock market performance. Thus, the steep losses are affecting a far broader segment of the population than the video implies. Political Gamble or Economic Chaos? Trump’s post comes at a time when investors are already jittery over global instability and signs of a slowing economy. The S&P 500 has fallen over 13% since Trump’s reelection in November, with the bulk of losses concentrated in the past week. Analysts view Trump’s move as a high-stakes gamble. While lower interest rates could ease federal debt burdens and potentially stimulate consumer spending, the rapid imposition of tariffs could drive up prices, hurt exporters, and risk tipping the economy into a recession. Former House Speaker and Trump ally Newt Gingrich appeared blindsided by the president’s post. Speaking to Rolling Stone, he admitted, “I didn’t know he had done it and I have no comment because I literally have no idea.” As for Trump, he remains focused on the Federal Reserve. “CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!” he wrote in a fiery post on Truth Social, continuing his long-standing campaign to pressure the Fed into easing monetary policy. ALSO READ: Donald Trump Fires NSA and Cyber Command Chief In Sudden Security Shakeup