Donald Trump just imposed a 25 percent tariff on virtually all goods produced by America’s two largest trading partners — Canada and Mexico. He simultaneously established a 20 percent across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods.

As a result, America’s average tariff level is now higher than at any time since the 1940s.

Meanwhile, China and Canada immediately retaliated against Trump’s duties, with the former imposing a 15 percent tariff on American agricultural products and the latter putting a 25 percent tariff on $30 billion of US goods. Mexico has vowed to mount retaliatory tariffs of its own.

This trade war could have far-reaching consequences. Trump’s tariffs have already triggered a stock market sell-off and cooling of manufacturing activity. And economists have estimated that the trade policy will cost the typical US household more than $1,200 a year, as the prices of myriad goods rise.

All this raises the question: Why has the US president chosen to upend trade relations on the North American continent? The stakes of this question are high, since it could determine how long Trump’s massive tariffs remain in effect. Unfortunately, the president himself does not seem to know the answer.

In recent weeks, Trump has provided five different — and contradictory — justifications for his tariffs on Mexico and Canada…

…more in the article.

  • Today@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Apparently It’s supposed to get rid of the browns and the gays and the women and everyone else until it’s just a bunch of old white men sitting around, counting money, and masturbating to AI porn? Kind of like a hateful gross version of Scrooge McDuck.

    • boonhet@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Don’t be daft. There’ll still be women and browns! They’ll keep the republican pickme women who want nothing in life other than to be bred, and the browns that mow their lawns.

    • Tiefling IRL@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      4 days ago

      It seems to be working, I signed my ticket out of here. I’m a brown and queer woman. Just need to survive until immigration goes through.

      • ramble81@lemm.ee
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        4 days ago

        If you don’t mind, how are you pulling it off? Just trying to get ideas too.

        • Tiefling IRL@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          4 days ago

          Work transfer through my day job. I will note I’m taking a 50% pay cut for this, but the mental security and new friends will be worth it

    • otto@sh.itjust.works
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      4 days ago

      Scrooge McDuck was also pretty awful. They had to invent a nemesis for him, Flintheart Glumgold, just to make him not seem so bad by comparison.