Trump is blackmailing the world

[pandowo]

Just what the fuck ? If Europe give in to his demands because he’s now threatening tariffs then where does it end ? He’ll be claiming they need Mexico and Canada next FOR SECURITY and if anyone disagrees - Tariff’s !
I would really like to hear off trump supporters, do you think this is okay?

The man is a danger to the world and I’m unsure why he’s being allowed to get away with the things he’s doing. It’s terrifying.

The whole thing is mental. I honestly despair at every "breaking news" item that is yet another disruptive thing that he is planning.

I'm hoping this is the redline for many of the Republicans and they will finally stand up to him.

I doubt it-sadly.

Yes, republicans but hardcore MAGA cult unlikely

I agree! We should not concede one mm. Nothing. And be very vocal about our refusal. Alongside the rest of the world. Or he will think that he has a chance...

To be honest let him impose tariffs. We will impose ours. In full on cold war style. Show the teeth and growl.
It is pathetic, what the world has dencended into.......

Not the MAGA cult but they did send a bipartisan group to Greenland so it's a start.

I can't understand how one person can have so much control? Where are the checks and balances? He is making America look absolutely awful. He is a cruel and spiteful individual - he is their President and so he is representing them.

Their tourism must be decimated - who would want to go there now? A colleague recently went to Florida on holiday with his family and he was shocked at the grocery prices - they went to one off the big supermarket chains to get sandwich ingredients and he said they couldn't believe how expensive everything was.

I believe that usa tourism is down 7% while Europe has gained tourists at 6.4%. I read it in the guardian.

Yes, good point.

Canada stood their ground and have made up the trade hit elsewhere. Europe should do the same.

Remember when we were in school and the teachers used to say "It's only yourself you're harming" when we didn't do homework or messed around in class? Well tariffs are like that, it works out worse for the American public on the whole than it does for the countries on which the tariffs are imposed. The whole world is doing new deals to find other markets for their goods and cut America out if necessary. It's not ideal, and it was definitely better when the world was less uncertain but the impact it causes will probably be temporary. The more that he does it, the less of a power play it is because the world is getting used to it and implementing workarounds.

TBH the fact that he is damaging his own economy is probably more significant for other countries than revenge tariffs. If Americans are too poor to buy anything then they will import less regardless of tariffs.

Good on him. Shame our so called leaders can't make a decision for the life of them.

I'm pretty sure our customers in the US are thrilled about paying extra for our products again over a land grab.

Some of them are already paying more on postage and fees than on the actual product....

(Sarcasm in case people miss it. Incidentally our client base in Canada has increased since August, with a small reduction in the US.)

That bloke is going to start world war 3,I did like him but now I think he’s batshit crazy,we can’t back down an let him win,can we not just buy stuff elsewhere?

So your British or from a European country and you want the Tariffs- you sailed high over the shark with that logic didn't you!

You're not "your".

He is getting away with it because he holds most of the cards.

The bottom line is that Europe has failed to invest in its own defence since the end of the cold war, preferring instead to rely on the US. Europe has spent the money saved in other areas - health, welfare etc. I know many Americans who look enviously at Europe’s six week paid holidays, health systems and benefits set ups and ask themselves why they are funding that.

Since Europe can no longer defend itself, Trump can do what he likes. Even with the will and the money it would take decades to develop independent defence capabilities. Europe has no choices.

The only hope is to manoeuvre for time and hope that the US constitution stays Trump’s hand after the mid terms.

I dont think thats unique to the US tbf

To be fair we went 3 years ago and the prices were bad then - but yes I think it’s got worse . Americans pay far far more for food than we do. I know the prices here have increased the last couple of years too but people would be shocked at what they pay there for simple stuff like bread or cereal or a packet of grapes.

I totally agree about the one person thing though - how does that happen !

It is why it is such a shame farms no longer able to grow crops/ produce meat as being sold off as cheaper uptick import. Why a travesty manufacturing in the UK has reduced and so on,
more we produce in UK, less affected by such politics.

Was is unique though is the pride they have in the system of government they created.

it should have checks and balances, Presidential powers shouldn’t extend to what he has and wants it to extend to. Congress/Senate should be involved and bipartisan support expected.

and yes the US probably could eventually take Europe in a war (although the Sirius dog sled team would take some out) but where does that leave everyone? All the advantages of protecting Greenland would go if Europe is suddenly militarily weakened by the loss of its supplier! Plus the economic push back on the US would be huge.

20% of the US is totally in the cult, 50% is not and I reckon the Republican who are sensible are waking up to that and it is how the US decides to handle it that will be interesting.

What the heck have the UK and Europe's welfare systems got to do with expecting entry level civility from our ally (?) in respecting the sovereignty of a country!

Maybe not... But we're in Ireland and he said the prices were more than double, even triple what they are here. Basic ingredients like milk, bread, lettuce, etc.

We went to Chicago in August (and had a great time) but the food prices were insane! I know food prices here in the UK have gone up a lot but it looked far worse in the US. I've read that one reason Trump won the election was that food prices went up so much under Biden but it doesn't seem to have got any better under Trump. Obviously, Trump's weird obsession with slapping tariffs on other countries is only going to increase the cost of food even further for the American consumer.