Tariffs for all the wrong reasons. Again.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/23/trump-tariffs-what-to-know
#tariffs
"‘Forced labour’ rationale for Trump tariffs met with bewilderment"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-tariffs-forced-labor-us-trading-partners-react
#tariffs
Did governments - or the media - expect Trump's 'rationale' to actually make sense ? Why would they be 'bewildered' by words or actions that are completely in character and wholly predictable in their irrationality ?
@GeofCox
I spent a fair portion of my economic career working on cases where dumping was alleged, so tariffs were a legal antidote. Sometimes it was true, sometimes not. There was always a lot of analytic work done by the parties on both sides.
It is sometimes difficult to reconcile the rigor of past administrations with the sophomoric schoolyard behavior of the — seriously dangerous — 🟠 🤡. Those of us who try to use rationalization are still dumbfounded by the reality we're living through. 🤷