International What is the real reason for Trump's tariffs?

There are a lot of countries with a lot of bullshit tariffs and other taxes on US goods, which legitimately should change...there are also countries like Australia that just got caught in the crossfire... shit :(

Oh well, at least this should be entertaining. /grabs popcorn
 
These are the main tariff theories I've seen, but none of them fully make sense and even the reasons that Trump himself gave are incompatible with each other:


1) To combat Security Risks. It's what he said regarding Fentanyl. Might make sense for Mexico or possibly China, but makes no sense that he's also tariffing countries like Australia or Canada, and he hasn't even stated what specific demands he wants fulfilled to remove the tariffs.

2) To bring back manufacturing to the US. He also gave this as a reason, and if true it would mean what he said about #1 above is not true. But if this is his goal, it makes no sense to use blanket tariffs instead of targeting specific industries, and it doesn't explain why he keeps going back and forth pausing/unpausing the tariffs instead of just laying out his plan.

3) To negotiate better trade deals. This would maybe explain why he keeps going back and forth pausing/unpausing tariffs. It would mean that what he said in #1 #2 & #4 are false but would sort of explain why he stated them (misdirection). This is the one I'd want to be true, but it assumes the most guile out of Trump, and also doesn't make sense because NAFTA is up for review in 2026 anyway, so it would make more sense to just renegotiate during that window. By doing it this way, he seems to be damaging relationships with trading partners and causing mistrust, which is not conductive to free trade.

4) To raise revenue to fund tax cuts. He specifically said tariffs will make the US rich again. This would mean #1, & #3 are false because he's not using the tariffs to negotiate. Also #2 would be false because if manufacturing were truly brought back to the US, then the tariffs wouldn't be generating much revenue as there would be little importing. Tax cuts are the standard Republican MO, but this still doesn't explain why he keeps going back and forth pausing/unpausing etc.

5) To disrupt the US's standing with the rest of the world, strengthen ties with Russia, or cause a stock market crash so that the wealthy can buy up the stocks at discount. Basically Krasnov theory... I don't believe its his true goal, but some of it may end up being unintended consequences. It would explain the erratic back and forth on/off with the tariffs fwiw.


Notice that pretty much all of these theories (except for maybe #5) must be mutually exclusive for them to truly fulfill their stated purpose.

So which one do you think is the true motive behind the tariffs?
Your Point 5 is closest but a bit off.


What those behind this current Project 2025 push want and believe is that the US is a failed Nation and Globalism is a failed system.

What they believe in very much parallels what Trump has always believed which is the strong should eat the rich and that strong men and favored Oligarchs should rule and they want to carve the planet up in to 3 spheres of influence.

Sphere 1 - The East, run by the godless communist Chinese. The Euro-sphere, dominated by Russia. The West dominated by a Christian Nationalist America.

It is not necessarily that they believe 'America' will be better off, just as Russia and the USSR model was not 'better' than the American model in generating National wealth spread across all citizens. What the Project 2025 people believe is that, as in Russia the favored Oligarchs close to 'Dear Leader' will be much rich even as the country declines. And most importantly they will be able to reimpose a form of Christian nationalism and return the country to Puritanism.


But that is what this current push is all about, and the Steps to autocracy we are living thru now are clear to see if anyone is looking:

- destroy media credibility (4th Estate) so their sounding of alarms will not be taken seriously by populace (check)
- destroy 2nd estate, Congress power to check Executive (check)
- destroy 3rd Estate, Courts, Law Firms, power to check Executive so rulings ignored will be of concern to populace (Ongoing and current assailed)

- break US away from Traditional allies (Canada, EU, Nato, UN, etc) so criticism from 'greatest friend nations', will be ignored by populace
- Play off other autocratic nations who are strengthened by all this (and emboldened China and Russia both pushing increasing expansion) as the reason why America must embrace their own strong man and give it even more power to counter

What a fledgling autocrat nation fears the most is the citizenry (popular uprising) rejecting it before it can really take root and while their is enough legacy power in the system to reverse course.
 
I have not read the books myself but have seen mentions that Trump wrote books on his ideas on how to restore and improve America, with tariffs and other changes. One of his writings ~

Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again​




America is in serious trouble, and our days as a superpower are numbered, argues businessman and entrepreneur Donald J. Trump in his blockbuster new book.

"Our nation has become a whipping post for the rest of the world. It’s time to get tough on China and other countries that are methodically and systematically taking advantage of the United States," says Trump. "We need to get serious about the debt, we need to get serious about oil, we need to get serious about job creation, and we need to get serious about our country’s future." With his trademark candor and charisma, Trump reveals his hardline, commonsense solutions to the problems plaguing us today and shows how we can put our country back on the path to greatness.

Nobody is better at achieving spectacular success than Donald Trump. Here, Trump shows how America can do the same.
 
I have not read the books myself but have seen mentions that Trump wrote books on his ideas on how to restore and improve America, with tariffs and other changes. One of his writings ~

Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again​




America is in serious trouble, and our days as a superpower are numbered, argues businessman and entrepreneur Donald J. Trump in his blockbuster new book.

"Our nation has become a whipping post for the rest of the world. It’s time to get tough on China and other countries that are methodically and systematically taking advantage of the United States," says Trump. "We need to get serious about the debt, we need to get serious about oil, we need to get serious about job creation, and we need to get serious about our country’s future." With his trademark candor and charisma, Trump reveals his hardline, commonsense solutions to the problems plaguing us today and shows how we can put our country back on the path to greatness.

Nobody is better at achieving spectacular success than Donald Trump. Here, Trump shows how America can do the same.
<{Heymansnicker}> if you believe donnie wrote a book i have a bridge to sell you ..
 
A basic misunderstanding of tarrifs. A basic misunderstanding of the Global economy. A basic misunderstanding of diplomacy. A sociopath being Commander and Chief.

The effect is to tax the fuck out of the consumer. Income tax doesn't go up (mostly) but this is, in effect, a 25% (or more depending on the sector) sales tax on the American Consumer.

If you voted for these absolutely incompetent fucks..... reap the whirlwind.
 
Trump seems to be open to working with Carney, sounds like Carney is ready to sell us out at first chance, that or this whole thing happened because Trudeau got too touchy with Trumps wife.
 
Trump seems to be open to working with Carney, sounds like Carney is ready to sell us out at first chance, that or this whole thing happened because Trudeau got too touchy with Trumps wife.

Possible. Or more likely,


"Why the change in Trump’s tone?

Carney also surprised some Americans with his comments yesterday about the rupture in Canada-U.S. relations, getting lots of attention in Washington.

Washington-based Canada-U.S. trade consultant Eric Miller said it has begun to dawn on people here that there could be long-term damage to a close relationship, one that benefits the U.S.

They [realize the] need to moderate their rhetoric and keep the relationship going in a historically positive direction,” Miller said."

We'll see what happens April 2nd
 
Possible. Or more likely,


"Why the change in Trump’s tone?

Carney also surprised some Americans with his comments yesterday about the rupture in Canada-U.S. relations, getting lots of attention in Washington.

Washington-based Canada-U.S. trade consultant Eric Miller said it has begun to dawn on people here that there could be long-term damage to a close relationship, one that benefits the U.S.

They [realize the] need to moderate their rhetoric and keep the relationship going in a historically positive direction,” Miller said."

We'll see what happens April 2nd
In reality, Carney is just Trumps man on the inside, Carney is acting tough to rile up Canadians to win the election but will cave as soon as he is elected.

Even those close to Carney are saying so, including his wife's boss.



This is why Trump wants Carney to win rather than Pierre. Carney will continue selling us out just as he has done throughout his career.
 
In reality, Carney is just Trumps man on the inside, Carney is acting tough to rile up Canadians to win the election but will cave as soon as he is elected.

Even those close to Carney are saying so, including his wife's boss.



This is why Trump wants Carney to win rather than Pierre. Carney will continue selling us out just as he has done throughout his career.


The way I see it, Century Initiative wins no matter who gets in.
 
If that's true then Canada is fucked no matter who gets in. Gg
No, Pierre and the conservatives are the only option that doesn't end in disaster. He will open up our resource development cut carbon taxes, secure our ports and borders and combat Chinese influence. All of these will strengthen our position against Trump where we can then make deals that benefit both sides and go back to the friendly Canadian/US partner ship we have always had.

Every issue that Trump had with Canada was caused by the previous Liberal government, policies in which Pierre has always opposed.
 
No, Pierre and the conservatives are the only option that doesn't end in disaster. He will open up our resource development cut carbon taxes, secure our ports and borders and combat Chinese influence. All of these will strengthen our position against Trump where we can then make deals that benefit both sides and go back to the friendly Canadian/US partner ship we have always had.

Every issue that Trump had with Canada was caused by the previous Liberal government, policies in which Pierre has always opposed.

What about his cap on immigration? Or TFW? Same as the Libs, only slightly better. Not good enough.

Not to mention PP is also part of the WEF, they're all the same. Century Initiative wins again.

PPC is the real Conservatives party imo
 
What about his cap on immigration? Or TFW? Same as the Libs, only slightly better. Not good enough.

Not to mention PP is also part of the WEF, they're all the same. Century Initiative wins again.

PPC is the real Conservatives party imo
Berniers ties to the WEF are exactly the same as Pierre, the only evidence that shows a link for either one was a picture on a WEF website claiming them as one of their own. Both sued to have it taken down and have condemned WEF at every turn. Whether or not that is because both are compromised or it is the WEF playing games we will likely never know.

To address your point the PPC is nothing but a grift at this point, they started out with good ideas yes but after their first major federal defeat all the qualified people involved left. The party has been structured in a way that does not allow dissent whatsoever, there is no mechanism to change leadership it has essentially turned into a vehicle for Bernier to enrich himself, he no longer lives in Canada has run scumbags such as Marc Emery as candidates, a serial rapist who is not a conservative whatsoever, it just points to the grift. They can never win are very unlikely to ever win a seat. All they can accomplish is splitting the vote and handing the government back over to the liberals.

We might have already have a conservative government in 2019 if it weren't for them. Because of that a certain section of the blame for the mess we are in now lies squarely on the shoulders of Bernier and where is he to answer for that ? Living in Florida.
 
Berniers ties to the WEF are exactly the same as Pierre, the only evidence that shows a link for either one was a picture on a WEF website claiming them as one of their own. Both sued to have it taken down and have condemned WEF at every turn. Whether or not that is because both are compromised or it is the WEF playing games we will likely never know.

To address your point the PPC is nothing but a grift at this point, they started out with good ideas yes but after their first major federal defeat all the qualified people involved left. The party has been structured in a way that does not allow dissent whatsoever, there is no mechanism to change leadership it has essentially turned into a vehicle for Bernier to enrich himself, he no longer lives in Canada has run scumbags such as Marc Emery as candidates, a serial rapist who is not a conservative whatsoever, it just points to the grift. They can never win are very unlikely to ever win a seat. All they can accomplish is splitting the vote and handing the government back over to the liberals.

We might have already have a conservative government in 2019 if it weren't for them. Because of that a certain section of the blame for the mess we are in now lies squarely on the shoulders of Bernier and where is he to answer for that ? Living in Florida.

Yeah I don't take the PPC seriously. The truth is there are no good parties in Canada at the moment.



• Pierre Poilievre voted against raising the minimum wage - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the First Home Savings Account program - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against $10 a day childcare - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the children’s food programs at school - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the child benefit - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against dental care for kids - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against middle class tax cuts - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the Old Age Security Supplement - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the Guaranteed Income Supplement - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted to ban abortions - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted AGAINST housing initiatives - Poilievre voted against initiatives to make housing affordable and address Canada’s housing crisis in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014 when Conservatives were in power; and again in 2018 and 2019 as a member of the official opposition.
• Pierre Poilievre voted to raise the retirement age - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted to slash OAS/CPP - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted for scabs - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the environment nearly 400 times - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre refused security clearance - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre instructed his MPs to keep silent on gay rights - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted to cancel school lunch programs for children experiencing poverty - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against aid for Ukraine - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted for a $43.5 billion cut to healthcare in 2012
• Pierre Poilievre voted for the $196.1 billion cut to funds for surgery and reducing emergency wait times
• Pierre Poilievre voted for Bill C377 - an attack on unions - demanding access to the private banking info of union leaders
• Pierre Poilievre vowed to "wield the NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE " thereby taking our charter rights away - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre publicly stated that he would not support Pharmacare and Dentacare (at least twice) - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre supplied coffee and donuts to the Trucker Convoy who were funded by MAGA and Russia - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau for causing inflation, while inflation was global and Canada had one of the lowest rates in the world - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau for causing the interest rate hikes, while Trudeau has zero power or influence over the Bank of Canada - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau by falsely claiming that the air pollution fines are the main driver of inflation in Canada, even though he KNOWS that that is completely false and was proven so - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre publicly stated that he will defund the CBC - TRUE
PLUS, Pierre Poilievre publicly stated - "Canada's Aboriginals need to learn the value of hard work more than they need compensation for abuse suffered in residential schools"

Little PP ain't the guy for me sorry.
 
I do agree that we need to do something about immigration, we need to actually vet people, zero tolerance for any crime from these people, nobody with anti LGBT or anti western views should be allowed in and we need to do so at rate that matches our housing supply. We need to stop funding them more than we do our homeless and stop making them the top priority in our healthcare system which leads to the death of god knows how many Canadians.
Yeah I don't take the PPC seriously. The truth is there are no good parties in Canada at the moment.



• Pierre Poilievre voted against raising the minimum wage - TRUE
Raising minimum wage would dire economic consequences especially since that is what many of these new Canadians are making
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the First Home Savings Account program - TRUE
He is running on the biggest increase for FHSA we have seen as well as TFSA
• Pierre Poilievre voted against $10 a day childcare - TRUE
$10 dollar a daycare doesn't work, they never put nearly enough money towards that for it to work and if it did would result in terrible quality of care.
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the children’s food programs at school - TRUE
Look at the US, state funded lunch programs are a money pit and result in kids being fed unhealthy slop.
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the child benefit - TRUE
He shouldnt have done that one
• Pierre Poilievre voted against dental care for kids - TRUE
He plans to keep it but restructure it make it effective and grant access to more Canadians, was voted against because as it is was a complete joke
• Pierre Poilievre voted against middle class tax cuts - TRUE
Is running on a 15 % cut on income tax and a total exemption for Seniors
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the Old Age Security Supplement - TRUE
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the Guaranteed Income Supplement - TRUE
Yes true
• Pierre Poilievre voted to ban abortions - TRUE
Not true, but if you think we need to end immigration then we need to ban or limit abortion to keep the population intact. That or heavily incentivize having kids.
• Pierre Poilievre voted AGAINST housing initiatives - Poilievre voted against initiatives to make housing affordable and address Canada’s housing crisis in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014 when Conservatives were in power; and again in 2018 and 2019 as a member of the official opposition.
These were to make government socialized housing, I have worked on many of these projects and they are giant waste of tax payers dollars and in the end don't really turn out to be more affordable than the private sector. It is much better to cut taxes and regulations to allow homes to be built faster and cheaper so the savings can be passed on to the home owner
• Pierre Poilievre voted to raise the retirement age - TRUE
Yes because they were faced with two options either raise the retirement age or increase contributions. Raising the retirement age is the better option as when the original age was decided our live expectancy was substantially less than it is today.
• Pierre Poilievre voted to slash OAS/CPP - TRUE
For similar reasons as stated above, we are living longer this system needs to be restructured or it is doomed to fail
• Pierre Poilievre voted for scabs - TRUE
that I cannot comment on
• Pierre Poilievre voted against the environment nearly 400 times - TRUE
Meaningless point, most of our enviromental regulations are crippling us for no reason other than to collect tax dollars. We are a carbon neutral country and any effort to reduce carbon emissions is a scam to fill government coffers

• Pierre Poilievre refused security clearance - TRUE
So did Tom Mulcair and most other opposition leaders, this is a nothing burger


• Pierre Poilievre instructed his MPs to keep silent on gay rights - TRUE
Yes because no matter what they say it will be used as an attack by dishonest Liberals, the fact is there hasn't been anything that could be said to be an anti-LGBT legislation from conservatives since the 80s
• Pierre Poilievre voted to cancel school lunch programs for children experiencing poverty - TRUE
its better to combat poverty that it is create another bureaucratic money pit with money better spent reducing poverty rather than patching up holes
• Pierre Poilievre voted against aid for Ukraine - TRUE
Because the Liberals wanted a carbon tax attached to it, voted for Ukraine aid in every other circumstance
• Pierre Poilievre voted for a $43.5 billion cut to healthcare in 2012
• Pierre Poilievre voted for the $196.1 billion cut to funds for surgery and reducing emergency wait times
Looking into this but I do not think it is true
• Pierre Poilievre voted for Bill C377 - an attack on unions - demanding access to the private banking info of union leaders
I agree that was a bad vote
• Pierre Poilievre vowed to "wield the NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE " thereby taking our charter rights away - TRUE
He would use it to lock up violet criminals who are murdering and victimizing Canadians, anyone against this is a fucking idiot. It would have to be invoked in the first place if Liberals hadn't spent there time giving criminals a free pass. Many of these criminals are the same immigrants you are saying we have too many of
• Pierre Poilievre publicly stated that he would not support Pharmacare and Dentacare (at least twice) - TRUE
Because it is ineffective spending, he will enact these programs efficiently instead as he has promised on current campaign
• Pierre Poilievre supplied coffee and donuts to the Trucker Convoy who were funded by MAGA and Russia - TRUE
You have to be truly retarded to think this is an issue. Yeah Canadians didn't want to stand up for their rights until Russia and US told them to. Probably the most blatant propaganda on this entire list.
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau for causing inflation, while inflation was global and Canada had one of the lowest rates in the world - TRUE
Not true, all WEF controlled nations enacted the exact same policies that cause inflation at the same time, so to say that because it's happening globally means he is not responsible is complete idiocy
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau for causing the interest rate hikes, while Trudeau has zero power or influence over the Bank of Canada - TRUE
Trudeau shouldn't have power to do so, but he did yet another example of his blatant corruption. This is easily verified.
• Pierre Poilievre scapegoated Trudeau by falsely claiming that the air pollution fines are the main driver of inflation in Canada, even though he KNOWS that that is completely false and was proven so - TRUE
No he didn't. I couldnt find a shred of evidence to back up that claim, which makes no sense whatsoever.
• Pierre Poilievre publicly stated that he will defund the CBC -
As he should, the CBC has turned into nothing but a propaganda arm of the government, they are the enemy of the people at this point. Why should we pay for our own brainwashing ?
TRUE
PLUS, Pierre Poilievre publicly stated - "Canada's Aboriginals need to learn the value of hard work more than they need compensation for abuse suffered in residential schools"

Little PP ain't the guy for me sorry.
As a Metis myself I don't like hearing that, but it's 100% true. Of course those who suffered need to be compensated but there is nothing more valuable in live than a good work ethic.
 
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