Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 18/03/25

Who would have imagined that most normal people hate Nazis

Speaking of whom

Deliveries are down and Tesla’s gathering dust now

This is a company that is still somehow valued more than every other car company put together

Their exports will suffer too. The goods they produce will be too expensive for the rest of the world. On top of that, those exports will be subject to new reciprocal tariffs. They'll be completely reliant on domestic demand, which will flag as their inflation grows. In the meantime, the rest of the world will forge ahead with new trade deals to compensate for the loss of the US market. That's already happening:

It's economic suicide.

Good reminder how the EU and Japan forged a fta for cars. Japanese brands had established factories in Britain to sell to the EU, but with the fta they could bypass brexit tariffs by selling directly to the EU and EU automakers could do the same in reverse.

Swimmingly well https://www.reddit.com/r/LeopardsAteMyFace/hot/

I thought his last update on the Mexico and Canada auto tariffs was that it would apply only to finished products, which means a car could be made in Mexico and Canada but would not face tariffs if final assembly was in the US, like the way cars used to arrive in kits and were assembled in the Ford factory in Cork.

They didn't last too long in Poland, apparently it turned out to be more expensive than they thought. Sold the plant to Foxconn and moved production to China.

According to Irish Indo Elon is leaving "government" in the US

On listening to RTE about Trump's threatened tariffs on imports to the U.S, specifically the Pharma industry imports, I was made aware of the knock-on effects they could have for the U.S Medical community, the Medical Insurance business and the U.S population generally, something I had no thoughts about. If the U.S-based Pharma have to pay tariffs to the Trump Admin of products made in their overseas plants, then will pass on the additional costs to their customers. Those customers will include Pharmacy chains, Medical hospital chains and Medical insurance Co's all of whom will pass on the costs.

Mention was made on the programme that some pharma products will travel cross-border [similar to metals used in auto production] several times before the items are in a finished state for sale and use. Medical Insurance Co's would presumably alter their TAC's for customers when the pharmacy and hospital claims start rolling in so their stay profitable. Patients health would presumably suffer as a result. If this is correct, then I would not like to be a medical insurance Co boss in the U.S.

Another probable side effect might be an increase in cross-border smuggling of the tariffed items, and possibly other items the smugglers might start cost rumours about for profit purposes, all federal and state tax free.

The same RTE programme has mentioned a rumour about that Tesla shares market price have risen on foot of another rumour that Musk is going to spend more time on the Tesla industry and less on his role in the Trump Admin due to the falling Tesla share prices. RTE made clear it was a rumour. Mention of a name in respect of whom might be behind the rumoured change in focus interests could be costly.

There are similarities but somewhat more along the lines of Putin's Russia.

It's hard to keep track at this stage with all the flip flopping. Realistically just the uncertainty around it all may just make manufacturers stay put and ride out the tariffs (aka just increase prices for consumers)

Press sec Karoline has rubbished this

So that pretty much confirms it then!

Co-founded Tesla, lmao.

You mean bought it, shafted the people who *actually* founded it and the only car he had a major influence over is currently a boat anchor that's scuttling it along with Musks deranged behaviour and fascist tendencies.

https://youtube.com/shorts/uoPU5JedCR0?si=Wmd-uo2TQeuzGp7M

Musk getting the bullet. That didn't last long

In other Trump related news, experts are floating the distinct possibility that Russia could indeed attack the Baltic States, presumably Putin thinks his good buddy won't interfere, as he has previously stated he won't rush to the aid of countries that he feels don't deserve it.

We live in a time where it is possible that a state of emergency would allow Trump to seize power in the US and Russia could attack NATO. This is a non-zero possibility and something that should worry anyone with even the most basic grasp of global politics and a >60 IQ. Meaning a lot of Americans will be wholly untroubled by this.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/07/what-baltic-intelligence-agencies-say-about-the-risks-of-peace-talks-with-russia_6738924_4.html