Doubling down on his trade wars, Trump is threatening to raise taxes on many goods from Canada, hike his universal tariff on imports from around the world and punish Brazil for prosecuting his friend, the country’s former president.

On Saturday, Trump announced more tariffs still, this time on two of the United States’ biggest trade partners: the European Union and Mexico, at 30% each.

Former U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler said that Trump’s recent moves “underscore the growing unpredictability, incoherence and assertiveness’’ of his trade policies. “It’s hard for trading partners to know where they stand with Trump on any given day and what more may be coming their way when least expected,’’ said Cutler, now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

  • Archangel1313@lemmy.ca
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    18 hours ago

    These countries need to walk away from the table until someone stable can take over negotiations. Why would anyone sign a trade deal with someone, knowing they are never going to honor the conditions they just agreed to? By next week, Trump will have completely forgotten that he signed anything…so why bother?

    • msage@programming.dev
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      11 hours ago

      Why would anyone sign a trade deal

      because of money, there’s no other explanation needed. No other country consumes as much as the US, and you need them to keep buying your exports.

      If that isn’t enough for you, the Europe relies Heavily on the US for its defense. Every country has a military base, only France (can’t remember who else) has nukes, so if you want to not be invaded, you kinda have to bend a knee.

      What is crazy is that it has been like this for decades, while Europe let itself be dominated by the special interests, and now it cannot unify against the hand that used to feed and protect it.

      And Russia has been arming like crazy, hoping to gobble anything it can.

      • Archangel1313@lemmy.ca
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        54 minutes ago

        Lol! Ok. Would you buy something you don’t even need, from a supplier that is going to change the price on you every other day, just to try and fuck you over?

        Nothing you said, makes up for the fact that Trump is an unreliable trade partner. In fact, all of the factors you mentioned make for very good reasons to find other supply connections. If those things are that important, then dealing with Trump is the stupidest way to try and guarantee steady business.

      • decipher_jeanne@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        10 hours ago

        The UK has nukes. Tho it’s not entirely sovereign as their ballistic submarines use American Trident II missiles. Which are on lease and maintained in the US. Still independent launch, just not long term.

        https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/heres-how-britains-nukes-are-operationally-independent/

        Also they want to purchase F-35A to drop nuclear bombs but that would be Americans B61 and not even on lease. just straight up only work if the US wants to. Also the F-35A can’t be refueled by existing UK tanker aircraft because American jet use boom refueling while everyone else use drogue refueling.

        https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c335406gxdvo

        • kebab@endlesstalk.org
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          9 hours ago

          UK is probably the biggest supporter of the US in Europe (along with Poland) and is not a part of the EU, hence not affected by the tariffs mentioned by the OP

          • dickalan@lemmy.world
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            9 hours ago

            I voted you down just now because I despise Internet strangers who complain about Internet points

            • msage@programming.dev
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              8 hours ago

              Could not give a fuck about points, but if I’m not correct, please explain why.