The Trump administration’s trade policies clash with each other

The president’s tariffs-by-tweet contrast with his officials’ deliberate moves

Dec 5th 2019|WASHINGTON, DC

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S attempts to orchestrate America’s trade relations are causing a cacophony. On December 2nd he trumpeted new tariffs on Brazilian and Argentine steel and aluminium. Hours later the United States Trade Representative (USTR) chimed in with two sets of tariffs on European products. Over the following days noise grew louder in Congress about a bargain that would secure the Democrats’ approval for the USMCA, a trade deal with Mexico and Canada. And all this against the drumbeat of trade war with China.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Sound and fury”