You’ve seen the clips. Dave Ramsey, the guy who tells you to cut up your credit cards and eat "beans and rice," sitting in a gold-trimmed room at Trump Tower. It’s a weird visual. One man preaches the danger of debt, while the other—well, Donald Trump has famously called himself the "King of Debt."
People love to find the friction there. They want to know if Dave has "sold out" or if Trump is finally listening to the 7 Baby Steps. But if you actually listen to what Dave Ramsey says about Donald Trump, it’s not about some secret friendship. It’s about a very specific, cold-blooded look at policy versus personality.
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Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating.
The Interview That Set the Internet on Fire
Back in late 2024, Dave Ramsey sat down with Donald Trump for a one-on-one interview. It wasn't some soft-ball, "tell us about your golf game" chat. Ramsey went in with questions about $8 eggs and $5 gas. He was looking for the "how."
Trump's response? Drill, baby, drill.
Trump told Ramsey that lowering energy costs is the first domino. He claimed he could slash energy prices by 50% in a year by cutting regulations on fracking and oil. Dave, being a guy who understands how the cost of diesel affects the price of a head of lettuce, nodded along. To Dave, this isn't politics; it's basic math. If it costs less to move a truck, the stuff inside the truck costs less.
But here is where the Dave Ramsey and Donald Trump dynamic gets real: Ramsey doesn't care about the tweets. He doesn't care about the "wild animal" energy Trump brings to D.C. He cares about the "boxes."
Before the election, Dave was blunt with his 18 million listeners. He said he was voting for Trump because of the boxes. Tax policy? Check. Immigration? Check. Gun policy? Check. He even joked—sorta—that if people wanted to "cancel" him for it, they could try, but since he owns the show, it wouldn't work.
The Tariff Debate: Does Dave Agree?
This is where things get sticky. Donald Trump loves tariffs. He views them as a "beautiful" way to fund the government and protect American jobs. Dave Ramsey? He’s a bit more skeptical, though not in the way you might think.
On a recent episode of The Ramsey Show, Dave and his co-host Ken Coleman broke it down. Ramsey was very clear: "Companies do not eat taxes."
When Trump puts a tariff on a foreign good, the American company importing it pays the bill. Then, they pass that cost to you. If your favorite coffee maker comes from a country with a 20% tariff, you’re the one paying the extra twenty bucks.
"American companies will have to pay the tariff... you will pay more. No question about it." — Dave Ramsey
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Despite this, Ramsey isn't screaming that the sky is falling. He calls it a "negotiating tactic." He pointed out that Mexico has had massive tariffs on U.S. goods for years. He told a story about a friend building a house in Cabo who had to pay 33% extra for fixtures. Dave’s take is that Trump is "throwing grenades" and using a "machete" to hack through bad trade deals. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it might make your toaster more expensive for a while, but Dave seems to think the long-term goal of "evening the score" is worth the noise.
The "White House vs. Your House" Rule
If you take away nothing else, remember this: Dave Ramsey does not believe Donald Trump will make you rich.
In fact, he’s been almost aggressive about this point since the 2026 inauguration. He tells his followers, "Don't wait on the Trump White House to fix your house."
It’s a classic Ramsey-ism. He believes that while a president can make the "weather" better or worse, you’re still the one who has to go out and plow the field. If you’re sitting around waiting for a tax cut to save your retirement, Dave thinks you’re being lazy.
The government takes. It rarely gives. Even with the new "Trump Accounts"—those tax-advantaged savings accounts for kids that include a $1,000 government "bonus"—Ramsey’s team is cautious. They like the tax-free growth, but they hate the idea of people relying on a government handout to start their kid's college fund.
What This Means for Your Wallet
So, what does the Dave Ramsey and Donald Trump connection actually mean for you right now? It means we are in a high-volatility era where your personal discipline matters more than ever.
- Inflation is the enemy: Trump says energy will fix it. Dave says a budget will fix it. Use both. If energy prices drop, use that extra cash to kill your debt, not to buy a bigger truck.
- The Debt Snowball still reigns: Trump’s administration isn't going to pay off your Visa. Ramsey’s advice hasn't changed since 1992: pay off the smallest balance first and build momentum.
- Tariffs are coming: Prices on imported goods will likely fluctuate. If you need a big-ticket item (like an appliance or a car), keep an eye on the news, but don't panic-buy. Panic is a terrible financial advisor.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop watching the news for "hope" and start looking at your bank statement for "truth."
First, get on a written budget. Whether you use Dave’s EveryDollar app or a piece of notebook paper, you need to know where every cent is going before the month starts. Second, ignore the "DOGE" (Department of Government Efficiency) headlines for a minute and find the "waste" in your own spending. If the government is cutting $100 million in "insane" projects, you should probably cut that $100 a month subscription you never use.
Third, if you’re worried about the market reacting to a trade war, stay put. Dave always says "time in the market beats timing the market." If the S&P 500 takes a dip because of a tweet, that’s just a "sale" on mutual funds for you.
The bottom line is simple. Dave Ramsey supports Donald Trump’s policies because they align with his conservative, small-government worldview. But he doesn't trust the government—any government—to be your savior. Your wealth is built at your kitchen table, not in the Oval Office. Keep your head down, work your plan, and let the politicians argue on TV while you get rich.