President Trump was put on the spot last week when a reporter asked whether Americans should expect shortages as a result of his trade war.

He gave a classic off-the-cuff answer.

You know, somebody said, oh, the shelves are going to be open.

Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of $30, you know.

Then he had some time to think about it further and decided he's right.

I don't think a beautiful baby girl needs, that's 11 years old, needs to have 30 dolls.

Here he is on NBC's Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.

When you say they could have three dollars instead of 30 dollars, are you saying you're...

Americans could see empty store shelves? No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying they don't need to have $30. Are you saying you're Americans could see empty store shelves? No, I'm not saying that. I'm just

saying they don't need to have $30. They can have three. They don't need to have 250 pencils. They can have

five. Wild. Economists say if you look at what's coming into the U.S. on ships from China, shortages are

nearly guaranteed. Shortages of what, though, other than dolls and pencils?

Answers to come on Today Explained.

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