Trump's many victories will prove pyrrhic
He has slashed illegal migration numbers and reduced the extremes of
wokeness that can choke society and destroy careers. Many stock indices worldwide have hit all-time highs, and the
dollar has weakened helpfully for US exports. His genius is that he has filled investors with delight that blanket tariffs with major trading partners are settling at around 15 per cent – even though they averaged only 2.2 per cent six months ago.
His New York real estate negotiating tactic of issuing bullying threats that are
rolled back at the first sign of resistance, aiming for high stakes and then chickening out, have surprised and frightened his counterparties. They have rushed to the table to buy time and agree to a great deal – for the US. Some have accepted much increased US tariffs while reducing their own to zero, others have promised hundreds of billions of dollars of investment in America. Good luck with that.
03:01
US appeals court allows Donald Trump's tariffs to stay in effect
US appeals court allows Donald Trump's tariffs to stay in effect
For a man of venerable age, his energy in engaging with domestic and international politics, as well as his advancing of his eponymous business empire is, as he might say, bigly historic. The Trump administration can look back with much satisfaction on a highly successful period.
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