When it comes to trade tariffs, U.S. President Trump's latest moves have many scratching their heads. What was expected to hit on August 1 has now been pushed to August 7, leaving global markets and trade partners wondering if all this drama is just a big show. 🎭
Major players like the EU, Japan, the UK, and even the longstanding USMCA partners—Canada and Mexico—already have solid deals in place. Even a deal with China is in the works, showing that established partnerships remain steady despite the uproar.
Some commentators have humorously dubbed the situation "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO), suggesting that the real purpose behind these tariffs is more about putting on a show than about making substantial economic changes. In many cases, the stock markets have stayed calm, as though they expected this theatrical act all along. 📈
The controversy doesn’t end there. The so-called tariffs could hit vulnerable economies such as Syria, Laos, and Myanmar especially hard, even if the spotlight mainly shines on dollars and headlines. The whole scheme has been compared to the 18th-century Russian Prince Potemkin’s fake villages—impressive to the eye, yet lacking in real substance.
Adding to the spectacle are two high-profile trade deals announced with Japan and the EU. Trump hailed them with grand superlatives, calling one the "largest deal ever made" and the other the "biggest deal ever," even as key details remain up in the air. For many, it seems the deals were more about photo ops and powerful sound bites than about creating meaningful change.
In the end, this latest episode in the trade saga feels less like a policy overhaul and more like a political stage performance. With deferred deadlines and market watchers staying cool, it remains to be seen whether these moves will bring any real impact or simply fade away as another act in a long-running drama.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
