Trump’s singular reply to all these issues is tariffs — “probably the most stunning phrase on the planet.” He invoked nationwide safety as a justification for 50 p.c tariffs on metal imports from Canada, Europe and elsewhere; 25 p.c tariffs on autos and auto components; and threatened to do the identical with pharmaceutical and semiconductor imports. He additionally levied an across-the-board 10 p.c tariff on all imports, whereas promising to lift these to twenty p.c or extra, except new commerce offers are agreed by July 9.
Apparently, whereas China and different nations that aren’t allied with the U.S. have additionally been focused with tariffs, Russia has been spared such levies. In truth, Trump urged Putin to finish the conflict in Ukraine by promising elevated commerce.
That’s proper. Russia — a real risk to European safety — is being supplied what Trump called a “great” alternative for enormous progress.
Lastly, whereas it won’t have probably the most quick impression, it’s the Trump administration’s political offensive on its allies — and particularly towards Europe — that can have long-lasting penalties.
It began with Vice President JD Vance’s speech on the Munich Safety Convention in February, the place he warned a surprised viewers that “the risk that I fear probably the most about vis-à-vis Europe shouldn’t be Russia, it’s not China,” however “the risk from inside, the retreat of Europe from a few of its most basic values.” It didn’t escape many within the room that this language was what German leaders used within the Nineteen Thirties to accuse Jews and others of treachery.
This assault on European values has escalated ever since. Prime administration officers have overtly sided with far-right forces in Germany, Romania and Poland within the run-up to nationwide elections. Then, when the German home intelligence company categorized the far-right Various for Germany celebration as an extremist group, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to X to complain: “This isn’t democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise.”
