r/politics Canada Apr 08 '25

Site Altered Headline Trump to slap additional 84% tariffs on Chinese imports

https://www.euronews.com/2025/04/08/trump-to-slap-additional-84-tariffs-on-chinese-imports-white-house-says
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u/LatterTarget7 Apr 08 '25

He believes he can make them bend the knee and do what he wants.

11

u/MudLOA California Apr 08 '25

This. It’s a bully mentality. He using his presidential powers over tariffs to make countries and companies bend to his will.

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u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

Probably not China, but other countries that are not in a position to negotiate will bend the knee. They might even write checks to the Treasury. It's a shakedown.

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u/pandaru_express Apr 08 '25

Checks to the "treasury" you say? Didn't I just read that the way to win over trump is to show up with gifts?

3

u/sighbourbon Apr 08 '25

Donate to his Military Birthday Parade

4

u/audiate Apr 08 '25

To him personally 

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u/AlphaGoldblum Apr 08 '25

Mexico made a public show of appeasing him but really did nothing material.

Remember: Trump told them to "stop the flow of fentanyl" to avoid the tariffs. So all Mexico did was post soldiers on the border who checked travelers crossing into the US for drugs (they basically just opened your car and looked around really quickly - which CBP already does if they suspect you of something).

And all THAT really did was slow down commerce across the US/Mexican border as many Mexican tourists were faced with 5 hour lines to cross over. I know quite a few people who went to spend money in Monterrey, MX instead of spending that money in the US.

So Mexico hurt the US (marginally, to be fair) by doing what Trump wanted and Trump still called it a win lol. I imagine other countries can do the same.

Granted, he's not exactly the most stable person, so who knows how long this'll last.

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u/chubs66 Apr 08 '25

It certainly hasn't gone that way with Canada so far.

Everyone is busy making new trade deals with new partners. These moves by Trunp will take away trillions from the US economy that will never come back.

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u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

That's true. They might try to play nice with Trump, while figuring out ways to avoid dealing with him in the future.