No sooner had the new President confirmed his threats to drop lead-weight 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods entering the US, than Donald Trump announced he will ‘pause’ tariffs while further ‘trade talks’ take place…
‘First Buddy’ Elon Musk, (left), Trump (centre left), Don Jr. (centre right)
and MAGA Health Czar Robert F. Kennedy Jr. displayed contempt
– perhaps unintentionally – for healthy eating and food-related
issues in general, by staging a photo op of their fast food
feast aboard Airforce One last November…
As usual, US President Donald Trump is playing bully boy, seeing how far he can stretch the envelope, provoking even his country’s oldest friends and top trading partners…
Steps back at last moment
Trump has announced he will ‘pause’ imposition of threatened 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods entering the US, pending further negotiations. This after last-minute phone calls yes-terday with Canadian and Mexican leaders and trade officials.
Observers say the message apparently hit home – after weeks of ‘out there’ claims and threats by the recently installed President – that his proposed tariffs would hit Americans just as hard or harder than they would punish the citizens and economies of America’s Northern and Southern neighbours.
But he’s not backing off his public demands that Canada agree to be annexed as America’s ‘beloved 51st state’. Nor is he walking back claims that Canada and Mexico are to blame for his country’s ex-ploding illegal drug and immigration crises.
‘Playing the game right’
Trump’s latest tack in his war of words on Canada and Mexico is that there would be no need for threats and counter-threats of economic action if only America’s northern and southern neighbours would ‘play the game right’.
The game – as usual – is ‘brinksmanship’. But Trump’s adversaries aren’t nuckling under to him.
“The Dow tumbled nearly 600 points at the opening bell [Monday], but news of the agreement […] sent stocks on the verge of a comeback,” CNN reported. “Trump shrugged off the market reaction on Monday, suggesting to the reporters in the Oval Office that he wasn’t aware of the volatility.”
The Wall Street Journal had previously delivered a blistering critique of the Trump tariffs in a weekend editorial titled: “The dumbest trade war in history.”
My take
I’m not rushing out to enlist in the Crazy Old Cat Ladies’ Home Guard just yet. But I and millions of Canadians are keeping a watchful, hour-by-hour eye on the situation…
~ Maggie J.