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

The ongoing tariff fiasco is farm, far worse than any of the ones you mentioned, or the likes of Iran Contra.

Lewinsky was a storm in a teacup, blown (no pun intended) out of proportion by a GOP baying for blood

Watergate was bad, but essentially a domestic affair with limited to no effect on foreign or trade policy

Bay of Pigs was bad as well, and helped set the stage for the Cuban Missile Crisis, but wasn't exactly unexpected, nor was it unprecedented. The US had moved against unwelcome governments in its "back yard" before under the guise of the Monroe Doctrine, and the 1954 Guatemala coup had been conducted by the same people who'd started the planning for what eventually became Operation Mars, the landing in the Bay of Pigs.

All of these were either of limited scope or in line with existing US policies. Meanwhile, the tariff tantrums by the tangerine of terror are completely out of line with previous US policies, serve no clear purpose either internationally or domestically and are simply the actions of a middle school bully who's gotten away with his shtick for too long. It will take decades to repair this damage, if it can be repaired at all.

So much for those brexit idiots last week celebrating their 10% tariff. One over on the EU. 😀

Its students visa and green cards not tourist visas yet anyway.

...

What China will do now is match Trumps latest tariff.

But If they were clever, China's checkmate would be to delay ALL shipments from China to the USA for 90 days. Think about that one and the effects it would have.

Would be a brilliant move.

That's the advantage of the 90 days. Time for the EU to start making proper plans and have them ready if Trump decides to do it again.

Surely everyone is happy but being happy at the backtrack does not mean the people who voted for this child and support this child are not f wits

"Big Pharma" paid five and a half billion in corporation tax last year. Handouts are working.

Any republicans still backing him by this time tomorrow should be treated with utter suspicion. I can hardly believe that there is anyone in his orbit that still thinks that what he is doing is the right thing.

Let alone the U-Turn; they can play that off as part of the deal.

Bbc unsure if EU are included.

But we have some questions.

• It's not clear if this reprieve applies to the EU, which today approved retaliatory tariffs against the US. A shouted question at the White House press "gaggle" went unanswered
• We're not sure if Canada and Mexico are included in this 10% rate - especially since Canada's retaliatory tariffs came into effect this morning
• It's not clear how this interacts with tariffs already in place, such as the 25% tariffs on foreign steel, aluminium and car parts

Comments made by Trump to the press just now at a Nascar event didn't clarify these questions.

RTE news : An 'extraordinary' post and the big initial questions

http://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0409/1506785-analysis-trump-announcement/

Pharma's going nowhere. They have billions invested and need an EU base regardless.