Latest news with #TACO
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Donald J Trump: Salsa, not Taco
Speaking at the Hague, US President Donald Trump said that progress was being made to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Reuters After President Donald J Trump ordered US B2 bombers to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities using 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker buster bombs, it would be difficult to poke him with the TACO jibe. For those still not in the know, TACO stands for 'Trump always chickens out,' reportedly coined by Financial Times journalist Robert Armstrong. When, three weeks back, a CNN reporter hurled the TACO accusation at him, Trump said it was a 'very negative question' and that what Wall Street called 'chickening out' was actually negotiation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Be that as it may, the TACO meme went viral. As to who liked Trump to Salsa, I think the credit should go to an episode description I saw on PGurus in a conversation between Sree Iyer and Sridhar Chityala. I don't think they developed the metaphor, though. By now TACO seems to have been comprehensively falsified, even if the anti-Trump establishment has already started its propaganda that the strikes were not effective. Let us acknowledge that while it is easy to poke fun at Trump, his actions have proved that he is a very gutsy individual in addition to being a decisive president. Let's not forget his response to the assassination attempt during the heat of his campaign when he got back to his feet, raised his fist and said, 'Fight, fight, fight.' I agree that he loves to shoot his mouth off, especially when he has the media, and via the media, the world as his stage. But that doesn't mean that he talks nonsense all the time or that he doesn't know what he is about or trying to accomplish. Instead, I would argue that his actions prove that he is the boldest American president in recent decades. Now, salsa, also part of the Mexican cuisine so popular in the US and all over the world, which does much to spice up a bland taco, may not function as an acronym. But its spicy and memorable taste is more akin to Trump's presidency, which is as unforgettable as it is exciting. Never a dull moment and certainly zesty all the way. Hence, the quip 'Trump always chickens out,' now sounds and lands like a cheap shot, a lazy caricature hurled by critics who underestimated the US president's resolve. The bombing of Iran sent shockwaves through global geopolitics. As did the Trump engineered ceasefire. Again, critics may carp, 'It has already been violated. By both sides.' True. But ceasefires don't stop the bleeding like diarrhea pills plug loose motions. They take a while fully to take effect, with each side trying some last-minute strikes to smoothen over the wrinkles, so to speak, if not mop up some of the spillovers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For years, Iran's regime had poked and prodded, testing America's resolve through proxy militias and nuclear brinkmanship. Previous administrations, cautious, deliberative, and often paralysed by escalation concerns, had largely given Iran a free run of the middle east. With their surrogates and proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, plus various bands of mercenaries swarming across Syria and Iraq, they had created a ring of fire encircling Israel. Even if the rest of the world didn't care, this was clearly an existential threat to the very existence of the only Jewish state in the world. Worse, Iran's nuclear bomb-in-the-making was, to change metaphors, a thorn in the side of most other middle eastern states, including Saudi Arabia and UAE. Neither Russia, nor China were comfortable with the idea of nuclearised Iran and the middle east. The US position was that it would not, under any circumstances, permit Iran to build a bomb. Previous administrations under Joe Biden and Barrack Obama tried to buy peace by bribery or sanctions. But that was only kicking the can down the road. It is Trump who has bitten the bullet. Risking isolation and opprobrium not only from the other members of the G7 but also from the European Union. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Where India stand in all this? The Indian 'right wing' commentariat, quite foolishly at times, called Trump names and painted him out to be untrustworthy, or worse, treacherous and cowardly. The US is, whether we like it or not, still a superpower. India is not. Actually, geopolitics is much more complicated. The US economy is nearly eight times the size of India and China's five times. We shouldn't punch below our weight, true. But trying to punch above our weight is to pump fists in the air and look silly. We cannot afford to underestimate either the US or China. While Operation Sindoor was a grand success, we cannot rest on our laurels. We have to plan and prepare for the next confrontation. Our enemies are not going to take their worsting lying down. They are already reequipping themselves swiftly and surely. India needs to play the hyperpower rivalry to its advantage rather than trying to take down the US president a notch or two through its 'B' team of social media influencers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Now, let's return to the 'salsa, not taco' metaphor. A taco is familiar, structured, even boring. A known quantity. Salsa, on the other hand, is unpredictable. It's the kick of jalapeño, the tang of lime, and a variable level of spice from the mild to the sizzling. Trump's presidency, similarly, is undeniably spicy, a whirlwind of controversy, charisma, and unrelenting energy. His unfiltered communication style, willingness to upend decades of political orthodoxy, and penchant for chaos throws his opponents off balance and the public engaged, if not enraged. Salsa doesn't apologise for its hotness; neither does Trump. The writer is an author, columnist, and former Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China Vows ‘Forceful Measures' After Taiwan's Huawei Export Curb
(Bloomberg) — Beijing vowed to respond to Taiwan's 'technological blockades' after the self-ruled island blacklisted Chinese companies including Huawei Technologies Co., limiting their ability to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Bezos Wedding Draws Protests, Soul-Searching Over Tourism in Venice US Renters Face Storm of Rising Costs US State Budget Wounds Intensify From Trump, DOGE Policy Shifts Commuters Are Caught in Johannesburg's Taxi Feuds as Transit Lags 'We will take forceful measures to resolutely safeguard the normal order of cross-strait economic and trade exchange,' Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said Wednesday at a regular briefing in Beijing. She was responding to a question about Taiwan' recent curbs on Chinese companies, and didn't elaborate on how Beijing would respond. Taiwan last week joined a yearslong US campaign to curtail China's technological ascent by adding the country's AI and chipmaking champions — Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. — to its entity list. That bars the island's firms from doing business with the pair without a license, the first time Taipei has used the blacklist on major Chinese companies. The new restrictions are likely to, at least partially, cut off Huawei and SMIC's ( access to Taiwan's plant construction technologies, materials and equipment essential to build AI chips, like those made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) for the likes of Nvidia Corp. (NVDA). Zhu condemned Taiwan's decision as 'despicable' and claimed it displayed President Lai Ching-te's loyalty to the US government. President Donald Trump's administration has urged Taipei to take more ownership over chip restrictions on China, Bloomberg News previously reported. 'Attempts to decouple will not delay the progress of industrial upgrading on the mainland,' Zhu said, adding that such actions will only damage the competitiveness of Taiwanese enterprises and the island's economy. Inside Gap's Last-Ditch, Tariff-Addled Turnaround Push Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Sign in to access your portfolio
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
The tariff clock is ticking with just two weeks left
When the Trump administration paused sweeping tariffs in early April, it promised 90 trade deals in 90 days that would fundamentally reshape the global economic order. Why it matters: With two weeks to go, there's one deal, one shaky detente and maximum uncertainty about the rest. Driving the news: The "Liberation Day" tariff pause ends on July 8. President Trump threatened that 50% tariffs on European goods would come a day later, assuming no deal, as well as the restart of substantial tariffs against dozens of other countries. The big picture: Financial markets aren't as panicky now as they were three months ago. The "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO) trade has shown that. Stocks are up about 20% since the pause went in place, shrugging off the trade war, actual war in the Middle East, and lingering doubts about the place of the U.S. economy in the world. But even if markets aren't nervous, and even if consumers are now more upbeat than they were in the spring, businesses are getting more anxious than ever about what comes next. Apollo chief economist Torsten Slok, in a new paper this week, predicts tariffs mean a 25% chance of recession in the next 12 months, and even if that doesn't happen, they'll still mean higher-for-longer interest rates. Catch up quick: The U.S. has a deal in hand with the U.K. and a truce of sorts through part of August with China. Nothing else is done, and it remains unclear how close anything else is. On May 16, Trump said the administration would start unilaterally setting tariff rates in two or three weeks. That never happened. On June 11, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it was " highly likely" deadlines would slide for countries that were negotiating in good faith. Hours later Trump said extensions weren't necessary. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Tuesday that "a sequence" of trade deals was coming around the July 4, though he didn't say how many or with whom. "The time horizons set on the current negotiations are unrealistic, to say the least," economists at Morgan Stanley wrote on Monday. "Which is why we expect framework agreements at best and at worst, delayed deadlines." Where it stands: Trump last Friday said the U.S. was going to sign a trade deal with India, but administration officials have been saying the same thing consistently for two months now, virtually from the outset of the tariff pause, with no sign of an actual agreement. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported over the weekend that European Union officials see U.S. trade demands as so "far-fetched" that it's not clear any deal can be made. At the same time, Canada last week threatened new countermeasures, Japanese officials are wary and Mexico remains resolutely mum. What they're saying: " Trade and fiscal policies are unknowns and that is one of the biggest factors hanging over U.S. stocks now," Michael Landsberg, the chief investment officer, Landsberg Bennett Private Wealth Management in Florida, wrote on Monday. "We have not heard much progress being made lately with China on the tariff issue and that pause is set to expire in just a few weeks. We think investors need to brace for additional volatility within the next few weeks," he added. What to watch: It's entirely possible a raft of deals is imminent, given the active negotiations with so many countries. The July 8 deadline could also come and go with no action. There's precedent from past tariff deadlines on Mexico and Canada. For the record: " Negotiations with our trading partners are ongoing, and meaningful progress continues to be made towards more deals," a senior administration official told Axios, noting a "flood of countries" that have approached the U.S. with "good faith offers" on trade.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Commentary: Why Trump's trade war will last way longer than his Iran war
President Trump had a unique advantage when he ordered the June 21 US strikes against Iranian nuclear targets: giant "bunker buster" bombs able to penetrate deeper than any weapon short of a nuke. That allowed Trump to declare victory after a few bombing runs that barely lasted a day. In Trump's other conflict — the trade standoff with dozens of trading partners — there is no such decisive weapon. Trump pretends there is, claiming that other nations will suffer grievous harm if he raises tariffs on the goods they import to the US. But in these battles, Trump is often bluffing, and his adversaries know it. Trump's willingness to attack Iran provides lessons on how he handles risk and negotiates in challenging situations. It may also dispel a myth or two about how he's prosecuting the trade war. For one thing, Trump doesn't always "chicken out." The so-called TACO trade — "Trump Always Chickens Out" — became memey in May after a Financial Times columnist observed that Trump often postpones or backs down from tariff threats. But that isn't completely true. Trump has imposed new tariffs on imports from most countries, raising the average import tax from 2.5% before he took office to about 15%. American importers are paying those taxes, and they'll be the first to tell you that, alas, Trump hasn't chickened out. Trump certainly could have chickened out when it came to Iran, especially given that several of his White House predecessors declined to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, choosing diplomacy and negotiation instead. That was Trump's approach too, until Israel opened the door to a US strike with a week of bombing that accomplished much of the job of degrading Iran's nuclear program. Even then, Trump took a considerable risk in dropping bombs on Iran, given that it could seek revenge through attacks on Americans or efforts to disrupt oil flows and cause an energy shock. What Trump demonstrated in attacking Iran is that when he has a strong hand, he plays it. Strategist Eliot Cohen of the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies said Trump has a "feral instinct for human weakness ... when his enemy is lying prostrate in front of him, he's perfectly happy to kick him in the head."That was the Trump who bombed Iran. Its air defense system was shredded, its leader hiding in a bunker. Trump took a risk other presidents haven't taken because he felt the odds of success were strongly in his favor — and he might have been right. In Trump's trade war, however, most adversaries aren't nearly as vulnerable. Trump has no magic weapon, and victory is elusive. This will likely become apparent once again as a July 9 deadline approaches for dozens of countries to make trade deals with Trump or risk his "reciprocal" tariffs. The trade war was never going to end in a day, or a month, or even a year. Trump announced draconian tariffs on April 2 but postponed them a week later after an ugly market sell-off. That was Trump showing weakness, rather than the other way around, because his tariffs amounted to friendly fire, causing unintended damage at home. Markets have yo-yoed as Trump's tariffs go on, then come off, triggering alternating bouts of despair and euphoria. But markets are generally adjusting to a tariff regime that might not be so bad because Trump doesn't have the leverage to strike a decisive and lasting blow, as he did with Iran. Read more: 5 ways to tariff-proof your finances Torsten Sløk, chief economist at private equity firm Apollo (Yahoo's parent company), recently mused that Trump may have "outsmarted everyone on tariffs." He suggested that as the July 9 deadline approaches, Trump may extend his trade deal deadline by as much as a year, giving markets time to adjust while the US pulls in something like $400 billion in tariff revenue, which would be nearly a fivefold increase over 2024 levels. The bigger surprise for markets, in fact, would be if Trump attempted some kind of shock-and-awe tariff blast around the July 9 deadline, rather than simply setting a new deadline. "The widely held assumption (which we share) appears to be that even if deals with trade partners do not materialize in the next two weeks (which is unlikely), the pause will simply be extended," Capital Economics explained in a June 24 analysis. "Market turmoil on the scale of those sparked by the original tariffs back in April looks improbable, if only because market participants would probably assume that any sell-off would lead to another u-turn." Trump's deliberations with China, as one example, suggest the whole ordeal could end up a quagmire rather than a decisive victory for one side or the other. In April, Trump hit Chinese imports with tariffs as high as 145%, which basically halted all inbound shipments. Trump lowered that to 30% in May. Some analysts described that development as a "truce" in the trade war and said it damaged Trump's credibility as a negotiator because he failed to act on a threat. Read more: How to protect your money during turmoil, stock market volatility Trump hasn't explained exactly what he wants from China, which could be part of a strategy that allows him to declare victory at any time and only then explain what his demands are, once he knows what he can get China to agree to. Yet China is making even that difficult. In response to Trump's tariffs, one Chinese move has been to impose new limits on exports of rare-earth magnets, a market China dominates, with about 90% of the world's supply. US companies that need those magnets for automobiles, fighter jets, medical equipment, electronics, and many other things are now running into shortages, in some cases threatening the shutdown of domestic assembly lines. As Trump sniffs out weakness in an adversary, he also recognizes strength. He must recognize that his promise of revitalizing US manufacturing will never pan out if American firms can't even get key components. China may not have all the leverage, but it certainly has some. This puts Trump in the position of bluffing, and the more he bluffs, the less serious he seems. That's why investors are fairly confident Trump's July 9 deadline will merely morph into another deadline, and maybe another one after that. The S&P 500 stock index has broadly recovered from the April sell-off, and it's close to topping the all-time high set in February. That's an indication investors don't think Trump's tariffs will harm corporate profits or stock values. There's no bunker buster in a trade war, and markets are grateful for that. Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Bluesky and X: @rickjnewman. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Need To Have A Difficult Conversation? Try The TACO Method
Leisse Wilcox, Future Proof Leadership Expert: Award-Winning Speaker, Bestselling Author, Executive Coach at Leisse Wilcox Consulting Inc. Emotionally intelligent leadership isn't just a soft skill; it's a strategic advantage. Especially when it comes to conflict. According to research from CPP (now The Myers-Briggs Company), the average employee spends 2.8 hours per week navigating workplace conflict. Over the course of a year, that adds up to nearly 17 full workdays lost per person to tension, miscommunication and avoidance. We don't talk about it enough, but most conflict doesn't stem from the issue itself—it stems from how we handle it (or avoid handling it). And while not many people like conflict, everyone likes tacos. That's why emotionally intelligent strategies like the TACO method are so powerful. TACO is a simple, four-part framework I developed to help high-performing leaders and teams handle difficult conversations with calm, clarity and compassion. It's intuitive, effective and rooted in both neuroscience and the kind of real-life, high-stakes human dynamics we face every day. T = Timing When you have the conversation is as important as what you say. Most conflicts escalate because the conversation occurs at the wrong time—off the cuff, at an emotionally charged moment or without warning. That instantly triggers defensiveness and limits both parties' ability to stay open or grounded. The antidote? Schedule it. "There's something I've been thinking about, and I'd like to talk it through with you. Would Tuesday at 3 or Wednesday at 4 work better?" This approach removes the element of surprise and invites the other person into a shared space of resolution. It creates psychological safety, lowers reactivity and sets the tone for a mutual, rather than oppositional, exchange. A = Agenda Clarity begins before the conversation does. Before you speak with the other person, get clear with yourself. Write down the core issue, the observable facts (not the feelings or assumptions) and the one desired outcome you'd like to move toward. Think of this as your road map—not a script, but a grounding outline. Being intentional about the focus of the conversation does two key things: • It calms your nervous system by giving you a sense of direction and control. • It helps you stay on track if emotions run high or the conversation starts to go sideways. This is especially helpful if you tend to feel anxious in conflict. When you have a clearly defined agenda, you can keep the conversation centered and constructive, even if the other person begins to drift into tangents or blame. C = Clear Communication Lead with presence. Stay with purpose. Start the conversation with gratitude. Acknowledge the other person's time or contribution. This reduces perceived threat and increases emotional safety. Then refer back to your agenda to guide the discussion: "Thanks for making the time—I really appreciate it. I'd like to walk through a few thoughts, then hear your perspective. My goal is for us to align on a solution that works. Does that feel good to you?" Asking for consent early on creates psychological buy-in and makes the conversation feel collaborative instead of combative. If the other person tries to derail the conversation or deflect, you can gently re-anchor: "That's helpful context, and deserves its own conversation. Let's come back to the core issue we set out to address." In emotionally intelligent communication, containment is more powerful than control. You're creating a safe container that holds the conversation in focus, with mutual respect and shared purpose. O = Outcome Action A conversation without next steps is just a vent session. After both parties have shared their perspectives, the final piece is agreeing on a concrete outcome. What happens next? Who's doing what? And by when? "So, we've agreed to update the process for weekly check-ins. Does it make sense to start next Monday?" This final step transforms an emotionally taxing conversation into forward motion. It restores clarity, establishes accountability and prevents lingering resentment or confusion. And yes, just as you started, close with gratitude. Let the other person know that you value the conversation and the effort it took to get through it. Why Emotionally Intelligent Strategies Work What makes the TACO method so effective is that it removes threat at every stage. It allows both people to regulate their nervous systems while staying focused on mutual outcomes. • Timing reduces surprise and sets shared intention. • Agenda reduces anxiety and ensures clarity. • Clear communication fosters trust and calm. • Outcome action builds alignment and accountability. And perhaps most importantly, it reinforces the most emotionally intelligent truth of all: You cannot control how anyone else reacts. But you can control how you respond. If you can stay grounded, respectful and action-oriented, you shape 50% of the tone, direction and outcome of any conversation. And more often than not, that 50% is enough to shift even the most difficult dynamic into resolution. Conflict is inevitable and contains the potential for massive cultural growth. Using this as an emotionally intelligent strategy, resolution and growth become the norm. That's where emotionally intelligent strategies make all the difference. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
