Yeah, it is not like someone would create a U.S. tariff policy with tariffs set based on (goods trade deficit with the US) / (bilateral trade volume with the US), irrespective of size of the country, because no one is stupid enough to care about the (goods or general) trade deficit between the U.S. and, e.g., Bangladesh.
Virtually our whole trade deficit is China, the EU, Japan, India, Vietnam, and Canada. Should we have just singled those countries out by name and grouped them together for purposes of imposing tariffs? Don't you think lumping Japan together with China like that would piss them off even more than tariffs would do anyway?
Except for the person in charge of America's trade policy, lmao
"He won't do massive tariffs, it's just posturing"
"He won't do mass deportations, it's just posturing"
"He doesn't care about those countries, it's just posturing"
"He won't ignore due process, it's just posturing"
"He won't ignore SCOTUS's orders, it's just posturing"
Meanwhile you're attributing beliefs like "trade deficits are great" to the other side so you can win imaginary arguments with them. Absolutely hilarious stuff.
I didn't say he won't put tariffs on those countries, I'm said he doesn't care about them one way or the other. Those countries have tariffs because Trump wanted a simple, blanket policy.
What is simple about tariff rates changing literally day by day via all-caps blurted tantrums on Truth Social? I am actually curious for your direct answer to this.
He thinks that a trade deficit is an actual subsidy, giveaway, or "loss" to the other country. He has said it for literal decades. Sure, he may care more about bigger thieves than smaller ones, but all signs point to him to caring about every instance of "loss" to foreign countries. Both his words and his actions are in accordance with my theory. Neither is in accordance with yours.
He is an actual stupid person surrounded by sycophants. It's a really consistent explanation! No need for this whole "he didn't say that → he didn't mean it → he's just posturing → it's for simplicity → it's Good Actually" thing.
How do you know that?
He didn't say he was going to do the thing. It's liberal propaganda.
Okay, he did say he was going to do the thing, but he's not. It's just posturing.
Okay, he did the thing. But it's good! Everything will be better!
Okay, it's not making everything better. But it will soon! 5D chess!
Okay, everything is worse. But it's liberals' fault.
Okay, it's his fault. But we deserve it.
If it is just posturing, do you worry Trump will improperly benefit from it? UAE investing $2BN in his memecoin today. Maybe the posturing will lead to other countries making similar "investments."
Your example about small countries is irrelevant because nobody cares about the trade deficit between the U.S. and Bangladesh. Virtually the entire trade deficit is the EU, China, Japan, Vietnam, Canada, and Taiwan. The EU, Japan, and China are big, diversified economies and there is no reason we should have a trade deficit with them.