Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy delivered an impassioned defense of President Donald Trump last week, responding to widespread Democratic mockery over a Wall Street-coined nickname that has gone viral on social media. The Fox & Friends co-host appeared visibly agitated while addressing the “TACO” acronym, which stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
The acronym originated among Wall Street traders who use it to describe Trump’s pattern of backing down from tariff threats when they cause stock market volatility. Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong initially coined the term, and it has since spread beyond trading floors to become a political rallying cry for Democrats and liberal influencers.
Campos-Duffy introduced a segment titled “Dems Resort To Cringe Videos As Their Agenda Fails,” declaring that Democrats are “really off-kilter.” She criticized the viral trend as propaganda designed to undermine Trump’s image, particularly referencing a TikTok video by Representative Eric Swalwell of California, who filmed himself eating a Taco Bell crunchy taco in response to questions about Trump’s tariff policies.
The Fox News host defended the president by invoking his survival of an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, stating that “everyone knows he is the bravest man in the world.” Campos-Duffy, whose husband serves as Trump’s transportation secretary, argued that the nickname would not gain traction because Americans witnessed Trump’s courage during the shooting incident.
The controversy stems from Trump’s own defensive reaction to the acronym. When a reporter asked him about the Wall Street term last week, Trump responded angrily, calling it a “nasty question” and telling the reporter to “never say what you said.” The president’s visible irritation at the question has only amplified Democratic use of the term across social media platforms.
Campos-Duffy’s Fox & Friends colleagues joined the defense effort. Co-host Brian Kilmeade blamed The Wall Street Journal for popularizing the term, claiming the publication “was at war with the president when it comes to tariffs.” Both the Journal and Fox News are owned by Rupert Murdoch and his family.
The TACO phenomenon has evolved into a broader social media trend, with Democrats filming themselves eating tacos to mock the president. AI-generated memes depicting Trump as a chicken or taco have proliferated across platforms, particularly on TikTok where left-leaning influencers have embraced the acronym as a critique of Trump’s trade policies.
Campos-Duffy dismissed these social media efforts as “cringey” and suggested they demonstrated Democratic desperation. She argued that having to explain the acronym indicated it was not an effective political strategy. The host contended that Trump’s negotiation tactics should be viewed as deal-making rather than retreating from commitments.
Other Fox News personalities have rallied to Trump’s defense throughout the week. Greg Gutfeld insisted on “The Five” that the insult would not work because “we like tacos.” Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, now a Fox News contributor, rejected the nickname entirely, arguing that Trump “almost always wins” and citing his survival of various political and legal challenges.
The Wall Street Journal’s initial reporting on the “TACO Trade” noted that investors have been using the term for weeks to describe their strategy of betting against Trump’s tariff threats. The phenomenon reflects market confidence that the president will ultimately moderate his trade policies when faced with economic pressure, particularly stock market declines.
Lawrence Jones, another Fox & Friends co-host, characterized Democratic social media efforts as “lame,” while Campos-Duffy specifically called out Swalwell for his TikTok video response. The California congressman’s video, which shows him simply biting into a taco when asked about Trump’s tariff policies, has garnered significant attention on social media platforms.
Investors have increasingly adopted the TACO trade strategy, betting that the president will retreat from tariff announcements when they negatively impact stock prices. This pattern has provided ammunition for Democratic critics who argue that Trump’s tough trade rhetoric lacks substance.