"Never been done" - Shark Tank's Kevin O’Leary shares shocking take on Trump, tariffs, and Canada’s politics

On April 1, 2025, Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary shared a CNN interview on X, where he challenged Goldman Sachs' recession predictions. The video has over 107,000 views. In the interview, O'Leary discussed rising market concerns over trade policies and shared his views on temporary trade measures and Canadian politics.

"A lot of these forecasts are based on the idea that tariffs are going to be permanent and in perpetuity, and I don't think that's the case. I think what's unusual about the situation we have now is Trump likes to actually let you watch sausage being made. He's putting tariffs on the entire world. Never been done," O'Leary stated during the broadcast.

Shark Tank investor expanded his analysis, adding,

"It's really about making reciprocal tariffs with every country that applied these as far back as the second World War, and it's a series of negotiations that are happening."

The CNN interview occurred against a backdrop of intensifying global trade discussions.

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Kevin O'Leary from Shark Tank dismisses permanent tariff assumptions in CNN interview

During the CNN interview, Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary explained the administration's strategy of implementing balanced trade measures across multiple nations. O'Leary addressed forecasts that put recession probability above 35 percent. He challenged these predictions, explaining that many analysts based their forecasts on permanent tariff assumptions.O'Leary said the current trade situation is different from past deals like NAFTA, which focused on specific country groups. He explained that today’s strategy tries to match tariff rates between countries like England, Canada, and Mexico. However, he criticized this approach, calling equal tariffs on both sides "stupid" and "just dumb."

O'Leary concluded by mentioning that he doesn't see signs of recession.

“And so this is really an interesting dynamic, but it too will pass. I don't think this is going to cause a recession. I don't see it in my own companies yet, and I think it's going to be short-lived,” Kevin shared.

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Canada situation

O'Leary described the current situation in Canada as "toxic" due to ongoing elections. He specifically pointed out how Mark Carney, the Liberal leader, uses the trade situation in his campaign strategy.

"They're using Trump to get out the base to vote anti-Trump everywhere. That's what Carney's doing, the Liberal leader who's about to lose. And now he's using Trump as the fulcrum to try and stay in power, or at least his party stays in power," O'Leary stated during the CNN interview.

Shark Tank investor also referenced Senator Kennedy from Louisiana's recent proposal about eliminating tariffs between the US and Canada entirely, suggesting a merger of economies for free trade across the 49th parallel.

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About Kevin O'Leary

Terence Thomas Kevin O'Leary, born on July 9, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, holds a prominent position in business and media. His educational background includes a bachelor's degree in environmental studies and psychology from the University of Waterloo, plus an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

O'Leary's business career started at Nabisco as an assistant brand manager. His major financial success came through SoftKey Software Products, which he co-founded in 1986. This technology firm, focused on educational software, saw significant growth through acquisitions including The Learning Company. Mattel later purchased the company for $4.2 billion in 1999.

He currently maintains a net worth of approximately $400 million. O'Leary serves as a central figure on ABC's Shark Tank since 2009, following his role on Canada's Dragons' Den. He actively manages O'Leary Ventures, a private early-stage venture capital firm, and maintains regular appearances on major news networks discussing economic trends.

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For more updates, fans can follow Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary on Instagram - @kevinolearytv