Trumpy Bear said on Truth Social yesterday that he would impose tariffs on all products coming into the United States from Canada, Mexico and China, a move that would scramble global supply chains and impose heavy costs on companies that rely on doing business with some of the world’s largest economies. But whatevs! Via the New York Times:
In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump mentioned a caravan of migrants making its way to the United States from Mexico, and said he would use an executive order to levy a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico until drugs and migrants stopped coming over the border.
“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” the president-elect wrote.
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” he added. “We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”
This is not over Fentanyl, or migrants at the border. That’s only the cover story for an excuse to look strong for a weak little man who wears a girdle and shoe lifts.
Josh Marshall wrote on Bluesky:
In whatever form these tariffs take, they are likely to be a massive engine of corruption. As is well known, there’s an industry of lobbyists who work to get various loopholes and tax preferments for corporations and the wealthy. But the key is that you need to get language in the tax code, the law.
Tariffs don’t work that way. US law gives the President vast discretion to make adjustments through ‘findings’ about dumping and economic and security reasons. He can basically do what he wants. So if there are big tariffs, sucks for you Corp X, unless you’re nice to Trump, in which case it might not be.
The payoffs don’t need to all be money. Maybe some come as political support, or campaign money. Of course, who are we kidding? Of course the Trump family needs to get a taste. It’s not either/or.
Yesterday the Journal had a good article about how Tim Cook managed to develop a very private and effective relationship with Trump in the first term that paid huge dividends for Apple. That’s partly a model. But not everyone’s Apple. Not everyone can do it with private dinners.
As I said earlier, I’m skeptical these tariffs ever come into effect as threatened this afternoon. They definitely could. But Trump’s Treasury Secretary designee has said openly they’re better seen as a place to start negotiations. But however that plays out, the corruption and beak wetting are a given.
UPDATE: Mexico plans a retaliation.
