Enduring confusion is the only certainty amid latest tariff threats

[struggle4progress]

Fri 11 Jul 2025 11.10 EDT

“There has been no change to this date, and there will be no change,” Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform this week. “All money will be due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025 – no extensions will be granted.”

There had, in fact, been a change. The 90-day “pause” on the highest tariffs threatened by Trump on his so-called “liberation day” in April elapsed on Wednesday. But with just three trade agreements in place, instead of the 300 once promised, the White House had switched one deadline for another.

Optimists, who seem to include many on Wall Street, interpreted this latest slippage as evidence that Trump will never go through with the most damaging tariffs.

But as he published a slew of tariff letters to individual countries throughout the week, less hopeful observers sensed a reinvigorated Trump, who seemed to be channelling the spirit of “liberation day”, when he held up that gameshow-style card, promising punitive levies on countries that had “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” the US ...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/11/donald-trump-latest-tariff-threats-analysis-us-economy

[usonian]

1. He thrives on chaos and does everything he can to create more.

It's his excuse to seize complete control. Failed on Jan 6, he's ready to do it again.

DAILY

[Captain Zero]

2. Japan and Canada are super pissed off, why don't they do this?

I saw Japan is really disparaging his latest "letter" telling them what their tariff will be on whtever arbitrary date he is now setting. I saw Canada is increasing their US border patrols due to his threats and his latest tariff letter.

What I don't understand is that when he threatens a tariff of 'x' on August 1, why don't they just announce an IMMEDIATE reciprocal tariff for the next day.

It would have been especially good to do today to fuck with his golfing weekend.

If not a tariff, they need to have a list of things to announce IMMEDIATELY after he spews bullshit demands, and then each time he spews announce the next one.