[vesinisa]

Maybe Trump is just doing what's good for America and he's strategy is exactly being unpredictable and chaotic. This is stressful for others and they make political concessions to please him in exchange for a period of stability.

EU for example bulged for exactly this reason and accepted 15% one-way tariff for access to US market. Before the deal the uncertainty about the level of coming tariffs was deemed worse for European companies trading to US than the negotiated tariff itself.

European political leaders including the head of NATO have also practically turned to giving rimjobs to Trump's ass wishing he would not throw tantrums at them in important meetings: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17wejpw79qo

Ultimately this all just strengthens US hegemony and makes other countries weaker, which is the explicitly stated goal he keeps repeating..

[jleyank]

Perhaps, although I can't see the point in damaging the American economy or currency. More likely, he's only talking to his proctologist and posting what they decide.

Throwing away 80+ years of mostly-Republican soft power and foreign policy seems foolish. Making it difficult to ship or sell to the US only makes sense if they want to detach from the world's economic system. They're welcome to try to be Tibet, but folks might find it difficult to get what they want. And losing the reserve-currency status for the USD will hurt. So will being unable to (easily) sell debt.

[crusty]

I'm guessing you meant Bhutan — Tibet is/occupied/governed by China.

[AlecSchueler]

Everything you listed are reasons why half world is scrambling to disentangle itself from American hegemony.

[vesinisa]

But is that really happening? If that was actually true, Trump would obviously have no leg to stand on. But what we have seen instead is exactly the opposite - countries are scrambling to strike "trade deals" with Trump no matter how terrible terms they get (like the one-way 15% tariff EU "achieved".)

There is really no downside at all for Trump. If it actually starts hurting US economy at any point, he can easily just signal reversing the policy and everyone will let out a big sigh of relief and markets rebound. If it causes some long-term harm for US, he will be long gone by then. But if he is succesful in establishing a new US-first world order he will be forever remembered as one of the greatest American presidents in history.

[philistine]

What do you make of the bold faced lie that the external country is paying the tariffs that Trump is putting in place? Part of the same desire for maximum chaos? When does chaos stop?

[XajniN]

It's not a bold faced lie, it's a relative truth. An importer needs to pay the tariff upfront, before pushing the increased price to the final consumer. This has an immediate effect on the exporter.

[stouset]

The amount of mental gymnastics y’all seem to constantly have to do to try and find some way to make sense of the inherently nonsensical looks exhausting.

[Yeul]

Ah the fuhrer knows what he is doing and we should al have faith in his genius defence?

[jrochkind1]

It seems pretty stressful for Americans as well. I guess we too are being asked to make concessions for a period of stability... that doesn't sound great. Maybe the trains will run on time if we make enough concessions.

[duxup]

> Maybe Trump is just doing what's good for America and he's strategy is exactly being unpredictable and chaotic.

I haven’t seen an explanation of how this works as far as the current tariff methodology goes.

[michaelhoney]

It really doesn't strengthen the US. Everyone knows Trump is a senile fool and placating him is the less-bad option until he dies.

[IAmBroom]

You make the preposterous claim that "what's good for America" is increasing its hegemony at the cost of other nations.

What's good for America is protecting her people's liberties and increasing their satisfaction in life. The first is clearly going downhill; Trump's plummeting popularity amongst his followers suggests the second is, as well.

[pschastain]

Or maybe Trump is a sociopath felon with a penchant for young girls who is acting solely in his own self-interest

Given his history of failed businesses and association with a known pedophile, what seems more likely?

[ethbr1]

How are the tariffs even in his own self-interest? Insider trading?