'Makes No Sense': WSJ Editorial Board Savages Trump Tariffs on Allies as 'Dumbest Trade War in History'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

Feb 1st, 2025, 1:42 pm


The Wall Street Journal‘s editorial board criticized President Donald Trump’s implementation of tariffs against US allies Canada and Mexico and with China as the “dumbest trade war in history” on Saturday. Trump announced that 25% tariffs against U.S. neighbors to the north and south are slated to go into effect Saturday. Tariffs on China were set at 10%, and he warned the European Union was next.

How the tariffs could impact American consumers remains to be seen. Some have positively speculated consumers could pay slightly more for a short time, while others are sounding the alarm. Trump said Friday afternoon Americans had very little to be concerned about and that the US had a deeper “piggy bank” than its trading partners regarding a potential trade war.

Saturday, the Journal‘s board scorched Trump’s use of tariffs as senseless and an “economic assault” against American allies. The board wrote:

Leaving China aside, Mr. Trump’s justification for this economic assault on the neighbors makes no sense. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says they’ve “enabled illegal drugs to pour into America.” But drugs have flowed into the U.S. for decades, and will continue to do so as long as Americans keep using them. Neither country can stop it.

Drugs may be an excuse since Mr. Trump has made clear he likes tariffs for their own sake. “We don’t need the products that they have,” Mr. Trump said on Thursday. “We have all the oil you need. We have all the trees you need, meaning the lumber.”

Mr. Trump sometimes sounds as if the U.S. shouldn’t import anything at all, that America can be a perfectly closed economy making everything at home. This is called autarky, and it isn’t the world we live in, or one that we should want to live in, as Mr. Trump may soon find out.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/makes-no-sense-wsj-editorial-board-savages-trump-tariffs-on-allies-as-dumbest-trade-war-in-history/

[sakabatou]

1. WSJ editorial board should STFU

AFAIK, they sane washed him and made Dump look good.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. No. They should loudly admit they were wrong and publish more editorials like this. . . . . nt

[sakabatou]

10. +10

[4catsmom]

16. I didn't hear any apologizing from them

in this article. I have another theory about Trump's threats to invade Mexico and tariffing Mex and Canada. he KNOWS he's going to loot the US treasury but bringing in two massive economies it would be harder to discover. For a while. Because eventually he'd loot them too

[sop]

2. To be expected from the dumbest president in history.

[Norrrm]

3. 1+

[keep_left]

4. Maybe Trump is more like Kim Jong-Un than we realized. He's apparently...

...become a convert to the North Korean state religion of Juche--or at least the American version of it.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Juche

?si=dLjw5mPQ26cP8Rxp

[LakeArenal]

5. Except.... Trump merch is never made here....

Ivanka has Chinese contracts copyrights or whatever.

The new administration is ruining the world.

I’m sure he wants protests here. I think he’s dying to declare Martial Law.

[Hekate]

11. True dat

Thx, btw, for spelling Martial Law correctly.

[LakeArenal]

20. 😉

[LisaM]

17. Trademarks.

But I don't think she uses them. Does she even make her crap any more?

[AleksS]

36. I'm sure that whatever "exceptions" would be required

to ensure trump brand companies are unaffected by any tariffs, will be easily available upon demand.

It wouldn't be the first time he's enacted a "one law for me, and one law for everyone else" policy. That's kind of his thing.

[Evolve Dammit]

6. At least they got this one

[travelingthrulife]

7. Hey Now, this is your boy WSJ

Get back into genuflection position

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Canada: 40 lb fentanyl to US. The US sends tens of thousands of guns into Canada

Here is a Government of Canada report on what has been done to secure the border to protect the USA from nasty Canada:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/securingborder/strengthen-border-security/securing-canada-us-border-to-date.html

Securing the Canada-U.S. Border: Actions and Outcomes to Date
Target: Eliminate sources of illegal southbound movements
Actions and Outcomes:

89% reduction in illegal southbound movement from peak 2024 levels
77% reduction in irregular asylum claims in Canada (2024 v. same period in 2023)
Reduced visa fraud through tightened processing measures and 600% increase in visa investigations
Security screening of 100% of asylum seekers and high-risk visitors
Increased removals of failed asylum claimants (targeting 25% increase next year)

Target: Eliminate illegal border crossings through real-time surveillance of border areas
Actions and Outcomes:

Investments in border surveillance equipment and capacity (drones, towers, Black Hawk helicopters, K-9 teams), including military support for intelligence analysis and logistics
Increased federal border personnel complemented by an additional 350+ personnel and support from provinces and territories
Freed up Canadian and U.S. border officers to focus on high-risk activity by closing immigration processing loophole (flagpoling) – up to 8000 labour days saved

Target: Detect and disrupt the fentanyl trade with more technology, tools, intelligence and cross-border collaboration
Actions and Outcomes:

Establishing Canada-U.S. enforcement Strike Force, with plans to develop joint intelligence mapping with U.S. by February 2025, establish shared targets, and collaborate on specific operations
Executive Direction to Canadian intelligence agencies to immediately redirect resources to focus on transnational criminal organizations
Investments in detection capacity: X-ray devices, radiation portal monitors, chemical analyzers, postal detector dog teams
More support for law enforcement investigations through increase in lab analysis capacity, increased collaboration with U.S. DEA in areas such as training and information sharing, and new drug enforcement hubs modelled after the U.S.
Hitting back at illegal fentanyl production by increasing control and oversight of precursor chemicals, and more rapid response to identify and schedule emerging precursor chemicals
More tools to follow the money through enhanced anti-money laundering authorities and financial investigations, new border financial crimes centre, and new North American operational alert on money laundering indicators
Lab busts: Between 2018 and 2024 Canadian law enforcement disrupted and dismantled 44 lab sites tied to illicit fentanyl; multijurisdictional approach to upcoming disruption and prosecution

Target: Strengthen border security through cross-border information and intelligence sharing
Actions and Outcomes:

Joint enforcement activities underway with U.S. through Integrated Border Enforcement Teams, joint management tables, U.S. Border Enforcement Security Task Force, and joint threat assessments / operations
Investments in joint intelligence capacity to disrupt transnational organized crime and illegal drug and firearms trafficking
Enhanced information sharing (e.g., information on high-risk child sex offenders, information on bulk trading, etc.) and joint training

Target: Keep people safe through joint emergency readiness and perimeter security cooperation, especially during fire season
Actions and Outcomes:

Establishing a FEMA/PS Joint Emergency Management Council for "NORAD-like" partnership in emergency management
Providing mutual assistance when needed most (e.g., fighting Los Angeles fires)
Conducting joint emergency response exercises (EX Vital Archer, EX Cobalt Magnet)


Date modified:
2025-01-15

[usonian]

12. WSJ bitches when ink and electrons (literally!) are tariffed.

They saw it coming.

And supported Comrade Caligula.

The fucker is insane.

[House of Roberts]

13. It makes sense if you think he'll make special exceptions

for the companies who pay him enough money.

[NNadir]

14. Buyers remorse? FAFO Rupie baby.

[live love laugh]

15. It was a cover move anyway to distract. No way can he make that happen in one day.

He’s going to back off when the heat dies down.

[Auggie]

18. Makes sense if one sells short just before an inane t**** statement

Notice how the market plunged on Friday? Could be ...

[birdographer]

19. Love the references to "Mr." Trump - nt

[William Seger]

22. I've started calling him mr.t on YouTube -- might change it to mr.lowercase-t just to rub it in

[rhiannon55]

31. Maybe mister tiny t

[William Seger]

21. "How the tariffs could impact American consumers remains to be seen." ???

Correction: How BADLY the tariffs could impact American consumers remains to be seen!

[OldBaldy1701E]

23. Ahh, it won't affect the rich.

(Yet.)

So, who cares? They are what is important. We peons are just here to make sure they live the most comfortable life ever. If we have to live in filth and squalor, starve before we hit 40, and watch our children die from disease and preventable death, so what? They are happy in one of their ten houses, so that is the main thing.

[William Seger]

28. It will, eventually: A slower economy will mean they won't be getting richer as fast

[OldBaldy1701E]

41. The imbalance was almost complete anyway.

There is not much else to get richer from...

[Prairie Gates]

24. "Mr. Trump sometimes sounds as if the U.S. shouldn't import anything at all" That's correct

This is literally Nazi economic policy: autarky. The next step is trying to sell the public on ersatz good for the goods we can no longer have imported due to tariffs.

[William Seger]

29. Except mr.t's version is based on complete misunderstanding of tariffs and trade deficits

[Prairie Gates]

46. I mean, so was the Nazi policy

Autarky is bad economic policy that leads almost inevitably to aggressive war for the purpose of production acquisition.

[Hitorque]

25. Deal with it, fuckos... You got in bed with Donnie

So pull down your pajama bottoms and get comfortable...

[Irish_Dem]

26. They were thrilled with a dictatorship when it meant tax cuts and deregulation.

And only hurt the average American.

Now it is going to hurt the wealthy and the corporations, they are mad.

[Aristus]

27. Oh noes! The Whore Street Urinal has a mad against the felonious fuckstick they helped get elected!

It's too late to talk him down, dickheads. You're going to have to own this economic Hindenburg you helped create.

[Bluetus]

30. The worst thing about these tariffs, IMHO, is not the inflation per se, but

the fact that the inevitable inflation will push goods up to a new price point, and even after Trump has to back off the tariffs because they are so unpopular, this gives the big companies the opportunity to leave the prices high, even after the tariffs are gone.

Think Koch Industries, for example. They own Georgia Pacific. With Canadian lumber jumping by 25%, Koch will have no problem raising their prices by AT LEAST 25%, even if they don't import a single tree from Canada. We loves us some toilet paper.

When Quilted Northern TP and Brawny paper towels go up 25% sending Koch profits through the roof because they use their own forests, not Canada's, do you think those prices will ever come back down?

All this does is increase profits of individual companies that don't need any price protection in teh first place.

[Mblaze]

32. No mention that Trump cynically

broke the terms of the USMCA trade pact that he agreed to and signed in his first term.

[Trust_Reality]

33. Trump is a schemer using leverage to get what he wants.

He wants Canada. If he can hurt the Canadian economy enough, perhaps he can annex them in order to Make Canada Great Again. Sounds crazy, but he is who he is.

[Playingmantis]

39. Who in hell in Canada would want to be part of this crazy nation?

[TomWilm]

34. Tariffs can actually lead to a positive change

The way Trump describes them is of course stupid, but the opposition also gives a way too simple explanation.

China is selling cheap stuff online, and US factories and shops cannot compete with this. By adding tariffs, these Chinese products will be more expensive for the US consumer. This can be handled in different ways:

- China lower the price to keep the US market, and by this China IS actually "paying" the tariffs.
- China moves production or assembly to the US, bypassing most of the tariffs.
- China cannot compete anymore, stops selling, and US producers might get a chance.
- China answers by punishing import from the US, and everybody will loose.

The results is very difficult to predict and the immediate result can be chaotic. It has taken decades to create the free trade agreements, but to destroy them can go fast, and will have unexpected consequences - maybe even real wars. But a reckless government could anyway win a short -term financial victory on this...

[beyondtimes]

54. A majority of

The made in china goods the us imports DO NOT have a US manufacturer standing by to pick up the slack if china decides the tariffs are too high to be profitable!

[TomWilm]

55. Yes, many of the so-called "Made in the USA" products will be in big trouble ...

... until they learn to make and replace the Chinese parts themself.

Does not change my points, though. Yes, Tr*mp's tariffs idea is not a good plan, but it might look like it could help the US workers - for a few years.

Also this contra message, as it is now, from the Dems will not sound convincing, and then next election is lost too. You all need to do better!

[question everything]

35. Posted here yesterday

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016395706

[IronLionZion]

37. Interesting that 10% tariff on oil but 25% on everything else

I guess douchebag doesn't want fuel prices going too high in his presidency?

[Playingmantis]

38. I never thought i would root against my own country but

only a good bit of pain as a result of electing a convicted criminal, shameless liar, sexual predator, con man, thief, instigator and narcissist of NO CHARACTER will cure America of its STUPIDITY, RACISM, ARROGANCE and LACK OF BASIC DECENCY..well REAP WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN..Dumb fucks!

Cant wait to see the stock market on Monday..

[Swede]

40. " The U.S. willingness to ignore its treaty obligations, even with friends, won't make other countries eager to do deals

Exactly. You don't deal with unreliable trading partners.

[Xipe Totec]

42. So, is Trump going to apply tariffs on fentanil?

Just asking.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

43. Even the Rupert Murdoch owned Wall Street Urinal doesn't like you Donny

No one likes you bloated orange loser.

[Old Crank]

44. Hey! Wall Street Journal!

This is your golden hero. This is the fat drooling golden idol you've touted for more than a decade. You are a bunch of self aggrandizing fools. The stupidity that drooled out of your faces has caught up with you.

[Historic NY]

45. Better quick get thing you need or might need fast...

wiper, other auto parts, lumber, etc

I hope Canada & Mexico double down on Trump, I want to hear the MAGA cry.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

47. IT MAKES SENSE *IF* we realize that the intention is precisely to destabilize/disrupt

It gives RW insurrectionists an in to start driving wedges between people in those countries - same as it worked here. I knew they were doing the Shock Doctrine on us, here in the USA, but that they are going after the entire North American continent is ... well what can I say, it' keeps going from bad to worse.

[republianmushroom]

48. When has the convicted felon ever made sense ?

[KS Toronado]

49. Believe Canada has more trees than us

So more lumber & paper products.

[BumRushDaShow]

50. The lumber for paper is a biggy

although we still mostly do our own paper product manufacturing. There's a big old (Kimberly-Clark) "Scott Paper" plant right here in the Philly area!

https://www.delcotimes.com/2020/05/08/kimberly-clark-ramps-up-production-of-toilet-paper-at-chester-plant/

[KS Toronado]

52. That's the correct size of toilet paper for tsf

Since he's such a big asshole,

[BumRushDaShow]

53. ....

[jmbar2]

51. Makes sense: They have shorted the stock market ahead of the announcement

They will make billions crashing it this week. Then Trump will back off, and they will make more billions on the short squeeze back up.

The gap between the oligarchs’ wealth and everyone else’s will grow. Knowing what they themselves will do and when, they will have bet against the stock market in advance of Trump’s deliberately destructive tariffs, and will be ready to tell everyone to buy the crypto they already own.

https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/the-logic-of-destruction?r=p3e2a&utm_medium=ios

Link to tweet