tariffs

Trump’s intentions relative to the agenda of the G7 meeting in Quebec were openly not much different from the tone that he has been playing on trade and multilateralism for the past few months. Prior to the meeting, Trump continued with his hardball rhetoric, particularly regarding Canada, in terms of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with Trump threatening to withdraw from the agreement if he doesn’t reach a better deal at the G7 summit.

Since President Donald Trump approved a “reckless” 30 percent tariff on imported panel materials in January, U.S.

(CD) — Since President Donald Trump approved a “reckless” 30 percent tariff on imported panel materials in January, U.S. clean energy developers have shelved more than $2.5 billion in solar projects, moves that have cost thousands of American jobs, according to Reuters. The first company to fall victim to the Trump-imposed tariff—which will decline by five percent annually over a four-year […]

Nebraska Republican Ben Sasse whines bout Trump a lot. But when it comes to voting, Trump has little to complain about. Sasse has been with him 87.5% of the time on roll call votes-- far more than Susan Collins (R-ME), Jon McCain (R-AZ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Bob Corker (R-TN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) or Mike Lee (R-UT).

Trump’s lack of consistency relative to the nuclear disarmament of the North Korean regime and peace in the region seems to betray that he isn’t particularly interested in achieving a resolution of the issues that have plagued US-DPRK relations for over six decades. By looking at the threats he has been making of unleashing nuclear annihilation on the northeastern Asian country, one can gather, rather, that he may actually be hostile to North Korea personally.

While the West is busy building barriers and breaking down trust, the East is developing out trade alliances. Discussions took place at the “Russia and China: Cooperation in a New Era” international conference in Beijing. Estimates indicated that Russia-China trade is about to hit $100 billion, and is expected to double that figure by 2020.
Sputnik reports:

At a time when unilateral interests are being placed on a pedestal at the expense of multilateral commitments by some nations, Germany and China are recommitting to the multilateral, rules based order of trade and diplomacy. Germany’s President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier sat down to a meeting with the Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi to oppose unilateralism and trade protectionism.
Xinhuanet reports:

President Trump is imposing a new 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum imported from from Mexico, Canada, and the European Union. Mexico indicated it will retaliate against US agriculture products, Canada announced a new set of $16 billion in tariffs against US goods, and the EU will target bourbon and motorcycles made in the US. It is believed that China will be next on the list. [...]

With tariff exemptions having run out, meaning that many of America’s trading partners are to face tariffs on their aluminum and steel, as of today, and many, including Canada, France, Germany, and others, having already condemned the tariffs and threatened countermeasures, as well as WTO disputes, Britain is also a part of that list. Responses range from calling Trump’s logic ‘based on a lie’ to ‘stupid’.
The BBC reports:

World finance ministers shift their focus to Trump’s trade wars at the G7 Summit, presently headed up by Canada. The metals tariffs which Europe and other American trade partners have been seeking permanent exemption from willing be coming into effect on Friday, which will the second day of the international meeting, as exemptions expire
Naharnet reports: