"Suffering from the whims of a madman": MAGA measures true cost of Trump's tariff gamble

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"Suffering from the whims of a madman": MAGA measures true cost of Trump's tariff gamble
Our supposedly brilliant president caves in on tariffs in less than a week — but it may be too late

By Brian Karem
White House columnist
Published April 10, 2025 9:52AM (EDT)


(Salon) The penguins and seals won.

Donald Trump’s retaliatory tariffs, which he said would bring back manufacturing jobs, boost the economy, pay off the national debt and cure warts, were less than a week old when he announced he had substantially scaled them back for 90 days. “Based on the fact that more than 75 countries have called representatives of the United States,” Trump explained Wednesday on Truth Social, “I have authorized a 90 day pause, and a substantially lowered reciprocal tariff during this period of 10 percent — also effective immediately.”

....(snip)....

The real reason Trump caved was the stock market. After several days of spectacular losses, it responded with a record surge on Wednesday after Trump backed off the tariffs. “He saw the writing on the wall,” a GOP member of Congress explained. “With one signature, he was killing the economy. With one social media posting, he was able to reverse that. We’re on a yo-yo and he’s pulling the string.”

....(snip)....

Lost in the haze of Trump’s befuddled narcissism and fascism is the often ignored reality: This is not normal. There are many who were and are ready for something outside the box. That’s why they voted for Trump. That’s why many don’t abandon him even now. “He speaks his mind. He’s great,” my favorite Missouri in-law tells me.

But, let’s look at then and now.

....(snip)....

President Ronald Reagan, a key architect of the tragedy that is today’s Republican Party, opposed tariffs and supported a pathway to citizenship for immigrants. He believed that tariffs destroy economies and the country needs immigrants. Trump is happy sending immigrants to prison, deporting them and denying student visas to college-aged students while trying to wreck the economy with tariffs. ..................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/04/10/suffering-from-the-whims-of-a-madman-maga-measures-the-true-cost-of-trumps-tariffs-gamble/