Experts warn aggressive trade measures against US allies will hurt consumers and roil supply chains

Summary

Trump’s new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China sparked backlash from business groups, economists, and some Republicans, who warn of rising prices and economic disruption.

The tariffs—25% on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10% on Chinese goods—prompted retaliatory measures from Canada and Mexico.

Critics, including the US Chamber of Commerce, call them a tax on American consumers. Economists estimate a $200 billion hit to the US economy, with inflation rising.

Trump defended the move, even suggesting Canada should become the US’s “51st state.”

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
    24·
    12 hours ago

    They had known before the election what he was planning. So how come they are complaining now instead of preventing him before?

    • theneverfox@pawb.socialEnglish
      1·
      57 minutes ago

      It’s because Trump is so out of pocket on any given day that he has interpreters.

      When he says “maybe if we put the sunlight inside the body it could kill the virus, we should look into that” they explained it as “well actually there was an idea of using uv light to clean the blood, so it’s not as crazy as it sounds even though there’s no substance to it medically”. And there’s not just one interpreter, there’s different messages for different audiences

      So when he said “were going to put tarrifs on our largest trading partners” the message to people who understood tarrifs was “this is an intimation tactic to get better trade deals, he’s not going to actually do it”

    • TacoSocks@infosec.pubEnglish
      8·
      9 hours ago

      They want everything else he is cooking, they think they can control him in this one issue.