Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is not holding back. Over the weekend, he went after Vice President J.D. Vance, arguing that the Trump administration's economic policies are the real reason Americans are struggling with higher costs, widening inequality, and reduced access to health care.

In a Sunday post on X, Buttigieg shared a CNN interview clip and wrote: "JD Vance remains busy with name-calling, but the Trump Administration's economic failures are there for all to see." He added that "Americans are living with the consequences of Trump cutting taxes for the wealthy, cutting health care, and launching expensive wars that send taxpayer dollars abroad while jacking up fuel costs at home."

Vance, in the CNN interview, had argued that Democrats have shifted toward "left-wing radicalism" and are out of step with mainstream voters. Buttigieg pushed back, saying Vance's rhetoric is just political messaging that ignores what people actually care about. "When you're out there doing that kind of name-calling, it shows how removed you are from the center of gravity of the American people," Buttigieg said. He added that most Americans want "the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes," expanded health care access, and stronger worker protections—not what he called "billionaire tax cuts."

This isn't just a political spat. The economic backdrop is real. Ross Gerber, the CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, has criticized the administration's policies, saying they've fueled inflation and instability in the U.S. bond market as Treasury yields have climbed sharply. He warned that Americans would ultimately "pay the price" for government decisions. Meanwhile, economist Peter Schiff cautioned that rising long-term yields could trigger a broader economic crisis.

On the trade front, the Trump administration is fighting to keep its 10% import tariffs after a federal trade court ruling challenged their legal basis. The decision was another legal setback for Trump's trade agenda, coming after the Supreme Court earlier struck down broader tariffs imposed under emergency powers. So the tariff fight is far from over.

And then there's Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase. He said he remains confident in the long-term U.S. economy but warned that geopolitical fragmentation and weakening Western alliances pose major risks to global stability. So even the optimists are sounding cautious.

In short, the debate between Buttigieg and Vance is a snapshot of a bigger fight over who's responsible for the economy's direction—and who's going to pay for it.