Here’s the problem with the tariffs.

Basically Trump wants to use tariffs to force everyone to negotiate terms that would be favorable for the US. That’s the short summary of a very complicated plan.

However with negotiations of any kind, especially for results that would favor you, everyone else has to trust you in that favorable position. Trust is the most important aspect of any deals you can make.

Trump has torn up trade agreements that he himself signed, threatened to annex our closest allies, promoted an aggressor of war, etc. The list goes on and on. I don’t think there’s anyone left who still trusts the USA anymore. So any leverage he hopes to gain with this mess won’t mean anything in a room full of people who don’t trust you to not abuse the power over them you’re asking for.

It doesn’t matter how much of our remaining power we use to try forcing people into anything they don’t want. They’ll just take their business elsewhere after finding a way to stop relying on us.

Any ends gained through contemptible means aren’t worth anything and I wonder if anyone in the Trump administration understands that.

I hope I’m wrong and people will come to trust not Trump, but our country compromised of much more than just him. Trust America, but I won’t wonder why if no one does and this is the end of our power on the world stage.