I struggle to understand why some people paint President Trump as the villain in this tariff war. Let’s not forget that China has long banned or restricted many U.S. products and services. Trump’s tariffs are a response to China’s unfair trade practices, which have persisted for over a decade. Beyond tariffs, China blocks major U.S. companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google from operating in its market. In my view, China hasn’t been playing fair. They restrict foreign goods and services in their country while expecting open access for their own products abroad. That’s hardly equitable. I’m surprised the U.S. didn’t act sooner. If China wants tariff-free trade, they should remove their own tariffs and restrictions on U.S. products and services. If they refuse, they have no right to complain about U.S. retaliation.
Let's go back to the beginning, we don't have to go very far, considering he has only been in office a couple months so far. Traditionally America has been a comparatively stable country; sure there have been swings from left to right, but things have gotten progressively dirtier at the extremes. While the Republicans do have control of both the house and the senate (for now), it is those elected officials that should be collectively drafting up new laws based on priorities along with a bit of negotiation with opposition. That is partly what they are paid to do. Along with the justice system, going up to the Supreme court judges, they are meant to act as three pillars of "checks and balances" within government. Yet Trump has trashed over a hundred years of best practice because of his own ego and is now writing laws by himself on the spur of the moment like they are bad checks. It is destabilizing and has caused harsh reactions in the markets, ultimately undermining US government bonds which are the foundations of America's economic hegemony. He decided to pick on allies first with blanket tariffs at extortionate rates, rather than taking rational decisions aimed at countering small subsidies (which act against free market principles) in specific industries by some nations.