A recap of Trump's #TariffShakedown , courtesy of @MeidasTouch
"Trump reduced the tariffs on China in exchange for nothing. He paused the tariffs on Canada and Mexico in exchange for nothing. He postponed tariffs on EU in exchange for nothing. He threatened Russia with sanctions multiple times if they didn’t sign ceasefire and did nothing. Art of the Deal."
Correction:
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials kicked off a meeting in Geneva on Saturday, seeking to distract from the utter failure of Trump's #TariffShakedown and to lay the groundwork for a rollback.
@HarriettMB @JugglingWithEggs @peterbrown @TCMuffin @wood5y
Appears that America is rolling back (just some of) the tariffs Trump unilaterally tacked on, while the UK is actually changing established policy.
How is this not appeasement? ..a reward for the #TariffShakedown ?
🤣🤣🤣
Of course, America already was at the center of global trade rules for the past 80 years.
The key difference now is puttimg Trump *personally* at the center. That's why the tariffs keep changing, why it's about who calls him, why bribes get exceptions. It's literally a #TariffShakedown
Wait, so two months into the #TariffShakedown, Trump decides to honor his own CUSMA deal? No deal with Trump can be trusted.
And as a Senator from Wisconsin, out of concern for his constituents, Ron Johnson will do absolutely nothing to stop Trump's #TariffShakedown
Well, that was an act of Congress. The #TariffShakedown is 100% a Trump creation - and all within his first 100 days.
Twitter should have been banned in Canada and across Europe as soon as the #TariffShakedown started and Musk was stirring up trouble around the world and throwing Nazi salutes.
It is past time legitimate governments defend themselves from this threat vector (and way past time legitimate posters got off Twitter using the "reach" excuse).
You missed when Trump exempted Iphones and other tech from his tariffs.
I suspect a payoff was made, which is probably all this really was about
It's a #TariffShakedown
Update on Trump's #TariffShakedown
Shaun Rein, with China Market Research Group: “China is not buying American oil but is now buying Canadian oil. China is not buying American soybeans but buying Brazilian soybeans. China is not buying American Boeings but buying France's Airbuses. China is not buying American beef but buying Australian. China has decided basically not to buy anything from America and, aside from semiconductors, can easily replace American made products.”
Thx @MeidasTouch
I disagree.
When you look at his actions using various mob tactics, they make sense. The tariffs are a mob shakedown.
Randomly slap on a tariff. Wait for a country or company to pay you to take it away.
Imagine how much Apple and Samsung would pay to get a phone and tablet exemption to the China tariffs. I bet they did.
Why is the #EU suspending counter-tariffs?
Trump still has significant tariffs on steel, aluminium and cars, as well as a flat 10% tariff on EU imports. The EU shouldn't let Trump's rapid changes throw them off their strategy.
Counter-tariffs should remain until all the #TrumpTariffs are removed or an agreement reached.
Don't reward the #TariffShakedown
Trump: These tariffs are nonnegotiable. Take your medicine!
Other Countries: wait for it...
Trump: Countries need to negotiate something reasonable. I don't care about the market.
Other Countries: Wait...
Trump: OK, I'll drop the tariffs just buy our #FossilFuels . Everyone's kissing my a$$
Other Countries: almost...
Trump: OK, I'll "pause" all the tariffs. Well, not China cuz they retaliated
China: wait for it...
In an example that may demonstrate how Trump's tariff policy is about amassing influence and not economic policy, a fossil fuel industry that donated to Trump in record amounts and remains closely tied to the regime through the numerous folks with industry ties appointed to the US administration, received an exemption from the tariffs.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/trump-exempts-big-oil-donors-from-tariffs
‘Oligarchy’: Trump exempts big oil donors from tariffs package
"The exemption came after the fossil fuel industry poured $96m into Trump’s re-election campaign and affiliated political action committees, as he pledged to deregulate the sector and roll back environmental regulations. This was less than the $1bn Trump requested from the sector in an infamous meeting at his Mar-a-Lago club, but still constituted record levels of spending.
“Oil and gas billionaires just bought themselves an exemption from Trump’s tariffs,” Stevie O’Hanlon, spokesperson for youth-led environmental justice group the Sunrise Movement, said on Thursday. “While the rest of us have to deal with skyrocketing prices and rising temperatures, they’re sitting on their thrones and raking in billions. We need an end to this oligarchy now.”
In the first three months of his second term, Trump has made good on his promises to attack green policies. He has also maintained a cozy relationship with the industry, appointing an array of industry interests to his administration.
Last month, the president held a meeting with more than a dozen oil executives at the White House, where he floated an energy exemption from his tariff package, according to the Washington Post, with one source telling the outlet that it was unclear if Trump was making a joke or a serious policy pledge."
Because Trump's tariffs are effectively a regressive, compounding tax that therefore harms labor class people way more than it harms the wealthy, there's a valid argument that exempting fossil fuel products from the tariffs represents an effort to mitigate the increased costs of Trump's mafia-style shakedown on regular people. The problem with that idea of course, is that Trump himself is *directly* responsible for those increased costs due to these tariffs (again, which function as a regressive compounding tax on labor class people) as part of his destructive global trade war, and thus clearly does not give a fuck about consumers. What he does care about however, is an oil and gas industry that happily turned over vast sums of money to fuel his political career; who will now be exempt from the tariffs threatening to bankrupt other American businesses and millions of average people who don't benefit at all from fossil fuel lobby donations.
#Trump #Tarrifs #FossilFuel #CampaignFinance #Fascism #TariffShakedown #MafiaDon #Lobbyists #RegressiveTaxation
IMO, there is zero economic theory behind Trump's #TariffWar . Rather, it's one area where he can act unilaterally to start/stop tariffs - and create the chaos that brings people running to him begging for his help.
It's a mob shakedown. Simple as.
If you saw this graphic with no background, you'd think Germany was the instigator - because they suffered the least harm.
But no! It's the #AmericanClownEmperor hurting the US far more than all but one other country. The idiot sees this trend and says "yes, more please"
If it weren't helping Trump accumulate power while hurting workers/citizens, I'd wish he does more tariffs.
That's not where the big payday is in the #TariffShakedown
The big money is in the backhanders and gifts that every country and company in the world will pay to get lower tariffs or exceptions. And not just payment in money, but in power.
This is a global mob insurance racket.
Edit: Just look at how the shakedown has worked with law firms. The pro bono work is nothing compared to the self-censorhip.
