'This is a collapse for the entire economy': Washington Post readers on Donald Trump's trade war

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The introduction of new import duties by US President Donald Trump is being discussed by readers of the online version of The Washington Post.

Trump announced the tariffs in the White House Rose Garden, calling them a response to "economic war" against the United States and accusing other countries of "looting the American economy." He said the decision would end "unilateral economic capitulation" and help bring manufacturing back to the United States.



The tariffs include a base rate of 10% on all imported goods and higher rates — up to 50% — for about 60 countries that the administration says pose the most significant trade barriers to American goods.

Particular attention is paid to countries such as China (an additional tariff of 34% on top of the existing 20%), the EU (20%), Japan and South Korea.

Trump removed Canada and Mexico from the list but kept the 25% tariffs he had previously imposed on them. He also imposed a 25% tariff on auto imports, which will go into effect on April 3, and justified the measures by citing a “national emergency” over the U.S. trade deficit.

Economists cited in the article warn that the tariffs will send prices soaring for American consumers and risk triggering a trade war. Partners including the EU and China have already promised retaliatory measures. Critics argue that rather than boosting domestic production, the measures will hurt households and businesses.

The article notes that Trump sees the new tariffs as a way to raise revenue for the budget and reduce dependence on foreign goods, but experts say the measures will result in an economic downturn.

All ratings and opinions belong only to the users of the specified website.

Reader Comments:

Trump's actions are the collapse of the entire economy, because prices will skyrocket

– rated by JohnDoe123

He thinks about "liberation," but here there is actually a tax on every American.

- LibertyFan expressed his opinion

China and the EU are already preparing countermeasures, and this is the beginning of a full-fledged trade war.

– TradeWatcher left his opinion

How can we call it "Liberation Day" when we will all start paying more?

- Skeptic99 issued on the topic of the article

Trump is playing with fire, where we will all get burned

– said AngryConsumer

Economists have warned that this will lead to inflation, but he doesn't care.

- left a message EconProf

Cars will become more expensive, food products will become more expensive – who will benefit from this?

– EverydayJoe thought

This is not a defense of industry, but a blow to the wallets of ordinary people.

– concluded WorkingMom

So Trump wants to bring manufacturing back to the US, but in reality, companies will simply shift the costs onto us

– Realist2025 noted

US farmers will be the first to suffer if the EU hits with retaliatory tariffs

– predicted FarmerBill

Tariffs of 10% are not so wild, but 54% for China is insane

– said GlobalTrader

Trump thinks it's a game of chess, but in this case he's playing against the whole world.

– ChessFanatic noted with irony

Investors Panic, Market Crash: Here Comes 'Liberation Day'

– said StockHolder

These tariffs are just a show, there is no real plan behind them

– PolicyCritic noted

Americans Will Pay More for Everything from Gasoline to Bananas

- left DailyShopper
7 comments
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  1. Siegfried
    Siegfried
    -1
    April 5 2025 14: 54
    Trump's threat to impose 500% duties on countries that buy oil and gas from Russia if Russia refuses to freeze the conflict on the West's terms is essentially an act of aggression. And lawlessness, as we know, is punished with lawlessness.

    In such a case, it will hardly be possible for Russia to avoid the necessity of dismantling the world order by limitless methods. If Russia now proposes to build a new world order on the foundation of the old, Western one, then in the force scenario the new world order will be built on an empty space. And the empty space will appear after dismantling what was before.

    How will the Russian Federation be able to reset the system, the question arises? By limitless methods, how else? Cyber ​​war, military-political escalation, information war, a set of active actions, after which no one will feel little.

    By starting to coerce the Russian Federation, Trump will take a position from which he will no longer be able to retreat. He will take full responsibility for everything that happens after.

    But the most unpleasant thing for him will be the loss of a unique opportunity to act without relying on the previous position of the United States. By saying that the Ukrainian crisis is the work of Biden and the globalists, Trump can end the conflict not on the principle of confrontation, lose or win, but on the principle of a new beginning, where the United States, having dumped Ukraine, will restore order and will be able to move forward in its own interests. This opportunity will disappear immediately after the first actions of coercion by Russia.
    1. GN
      GN
      +1
      April 5 2025 16: 51
      Unfortunately, Russia is run by compradors, protégés of Sobchak, Yeltsin and of course Chubais. So don't expect anything good for the country and the people. For themselves, the deceived bourgeoisie, they have already begun to receive some concessions in the form of lifting sanctions. The US lifted sanctions against Boris Rotenberg's wife, Karina. They won't tell you this on Channel One. And why?? They endlessly show us whining and concerns and how everything is fine under the leadership of a deceived coward and sucker! In addition: MK.RU Russia and the US are preparing a deal on rare earth metals: what's at stake
      Experts Reveal Whether America Will Get the Riches of Russia's Subsoil
    2. Flight
      Flight
      0
      April 7 2025 00: 22
      In such a case, it will hardly be possible for Russia to avoid the necessity of dismantling the world order by limitless methods. If Russia now proposes to build a new world order on the foundation of the old, Western one, then in the force scenario the new world order will be built on an empty space. And the empty space will appear after dismantling what was before.

      Dreams, dreams. The sound reasoning of a sound person, not susceptible to the infection of false greed, is not taken into account by a sick person infected and spreading this infection.
  2. Andrey Andreev_2
    Andrey Andreev_2
    0
    April 5 2025 16: 08
    Will the American people be able to withstand the fact that everyone will have to work again, and not spin money? In recent years, the service sector has been flourishing in the US, so engineering has become addicted (as, incidentally, in Russia)... Oh, it will not be easy to force lazy people to work on machines... And the Chinese are just great, they are zeroing out duties (tariffs) for African countries...
  3. Flight
    Flight
    0
    April 6 2025 14: 54
    Well done Donald, that's it! Let them run around with their virtual wealth now. They decided to stamp out papers, get real goods on them and speculate, and then rule the world! No, get off your ass and go to the coalface or to the well, because there are so many securities specialists.
  4. Blast
    Blast
    +1
    April 7 2025 08: 28
    The collapse of the financial system is inevitable, and then an economic crisis, worse than in the 30s. Trump decided to make it controlled, this is to some extent the lesser evil. Yes, the population in the West should prepare for a fall in the standard of living by about 2 times, the time of well-fed consumption is over. Apparently Donald looked at Russia... sanctions were beneficial... and decided to do the same voluntarily for the states, duties are practically the same sanctions, they work both ways.
  5. Vladimir1155
    Vladimir1155
    -1
    April 22 2025 19: 42
    First of all, all the American commentators cited in the article are stupid.
    1 Trump is doing all this not of his own free will but by order of the FRS due to inevitability, the dollar cannot be saved, too much has been printed, there is a month and a half left, until June 13th Black Friday... and in July a nuclear war between China and the USA, in Taiwan in this case it is necessary to prepare and
    1) to put on a show to confuse everyone Trump is a talented actor, although Gaidai did not give him a role
    2) reduce stock prices let everyone go into dollar euro and pound cash, and then we'll zero out the cash, issue it in bitcoins, and keep the corporations for ourselves. forgive everyone who owes
    3) force Americans to work, because there will be no benefits
    2 rising prices will also lead to rising wages for workers in the US, and the parasites will be worse off