CNBC's Joe Kernen expresses support for Trump's universal tariffs because they'll increase inflation

The Squawk Box co-host argued that higher inflation would help relieve the national debt

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From the October 23, 2024, edition of CNBC's Squawk Box

JOE KERNEN (CO-HOST): See, I can always make a case — and I know tariffs, we are hearing about that. I think there’s good ways to blow money and there’s bad ways to blow money. And if you want — you know, if tariffs are going to cause inflation, OK? And you want to inflate any way, at least you are trying to bring manufacturing and bring jobs.

BECKY QUICK (CO-HOST): That’s an interesting perspective.

KERNEN: If you're going to inflate one or — I'd rather inflate that way than with wasting money on government programs that don't work, like installing EV stations and doing one in a year and a half for five bill — or whatever it was that we spent. So, that's what I got out of it.