Bob Iger attended an ABC News editorial meeting this week and expressed his alarm over President Trump’s new tariffs. The news comes from The Wrap, which reported that the meeting took place on Thursday. The Disney CEO expressed concerns about what the tariffs will do not just to the company, but also to the American economy in general.
During the meeting, Iger said that relocating overseas manufacturing to the United States “speedily” is impossible. He also said that people “don’t really understand how tariffs work.” It is reported that staffers in attendance said that the last statement seemed to be a push for ABC News to connect the dots for readers and viewers.
As the meeting continued, Iger continued to jump into the conversation that was about tariffs and the newsroom strategy for how to cover it. It was reported that Iger was offering “unfiltered views.” He also expressed concern for the Disney Cruise Line. Two new ships that are under construction and require steel to be built were of particular concern. Iger also reportedly said the company may have to scale back on spending if costs get too high.
Iger also spoke about bringing overseas manufacturing to the United States. These are specialized jobs that would require retraining replacements in the United States. Apple’s Foxconn plants in China were used as an example of how this could be difficult.
The attendance of Disney’s CEO came after President Trump implemented global tariffs on over 180 countries. His comments indicate the concern Iger has for what this economic strategy could do for the economy. This concern was bolstered by the worst sell-off on the stock market since 2020.
This disruption comes as Disney is in the middle of a search for a new CEO. It was previously announced that a new CEO would be announced for the company in January 2026. Iger will retire later in the year. The last time that Iger attempted to retire was at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. This led to a period of major uncertainty for the company under Bob Chapek’s leadership. Ultimately, it led to Chapek’s firing and Iger’s return. Disney undoubtedly does not want to see anything even close to a repeat of this chapter in its history. Passing the CEO baton in a turbulent economy could also be concerning for Disney leadership.
At this point, all that is known is that there are new tariffs and Disney CEO Bob Iger is concerned about their impact on Disney’s businesses and the economy at large.
