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

Simon Harris was on news at 9. He couldn't rule out pharma tariffs still being brought in during this 90 days

Tariffs on steel, aluminium and automobiles unchanged, White House official sayspublished at 21:1521:15Breaking

Tariffs on steel, aluminium and automobiles remain unchanged, the White House official confirms to the BBC.

Earlier this year, the US president ordered a 25% import tax on all steel and aluminium entering the US, ending previous exemptions for allies including Canada and the EU and marking a major expansion of trade barriers.

Trump and his four goons talking in the Oval office now.

Asked if Europe goes to 10% because of their counter tariffs, Trump said "bad timing for them".

Goon Howard Lutnik interjected in a panicked fashion "Nooooooo they picked a later date." 😀

Then Trump said "I'm glad that they held back"

All 5 of them including Trump had capitulation written all over their faces at the conference.

Truth of the matter was hundreds of billions of Dollars in US Treasury bonds were being sold today and Trumps advisors were spooked.

Dunces.

Some folks close to Trump could have made serious money on the market manipulation over the past week.

Someone said Trumps portfolio is being managed by his sons. I'd include Trump in that list. Maybe his bestie Putin and co as well.

Donald Trump has not forgotten about the pharmaceutical sector, addressing it at a signing of executive orders in front of the media.

“We’re gonna put tariffs of the pharmaceutical companies and they’re l wanna come back,” he said. “They are gonna come back.”

Despite the 90-day reduction to a 10 per cent tariff on most countries, he threw out very high potential figures for the sector.

“The only thing that’s gonna bring them back [is] we have a barrier, you have to pay 50 per cent or 100 per cent or 200 per cent,” he said. “If they have to pay that they’re gonna say, ‘we’re not gonna pay that, were going to build here’,” he added, referring to producers relocating to the United States.

Pharmaceuticals are Ireland’s biggest export to the US. Tánaiste Simon Harris called for their inclusion in wider tariff negotiations, but the Trump administration has thus far treated them separately.

Still refusing to acknowledge who it is that actually has to pay these tariffs I see

What the F is Gretchen Whitmer doing going to the Oval Office to engage with Trump?

They only way to stand up to a bully.

The 90 day pause is because he is (rightly) banking on his supporters being too stupid to have a memory that is longer than 89 days.

Same as once the current crisis began they forgot that he was supposed to have ended the war in Ukraine by now.

Someone I know working in biomed told me that they are now actively seeking out an EU alternative for parts that they usually import from the US.

This is a company who previously swapped out British suppliers completely because of brexit.

Industries that plan in decades hate uncertainty.

so just today Trump wants to have a former republican offical investigated for treason for Suggesting 2020 election was legit and murmured out loud he might renege on 7 trillion China borrowing, the fox is living in the chicken coop

Embarrassing stuff from MAGA.

The tariff plan fails before it starts.

Is it possible he postponed tariffs just to piss off China?

They had the audacity to challenge him.

It was all about the T bond sell off, similar to the lenders not liking Liz truss's plan to fund tax cuts from borrowings.

It was the global markets exiting the USD.