this post was submitted on 23 May 2025
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[โ€“] Argyle13@lemmy.world 136 points 4 days ago (12 children)

Time to act like China and not bend to him.

[โ€“] huppakee@lemm.ee 79 points 4 days ago (4 children)

China's strategy worked great, just counter any announced tarrif with an equal reciprocal tarrif and he'll back off eventually. I wonder if we have more or less to loose than China had.

[โ€“] Ek-Hou-Van-Braai@piefed.social 52 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Even if we lose more, we can't back down from a bully. We need to stand strong and roll with the punches

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[โ€“] magic_lobster_party@fedia.io 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Donโ€™t worry, heโ€™ll back down either way. Heโ€™ll just claim that heโ€™s made a great deal with EU even if no such deal has been made, and then lower the tariffs again.

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[โ€“] Tweak@feddit.uk 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

No, blind retaliatory tariffs would be stupid. When someone is punching themselves in the face, the correct thing to do is not to also punch yourself in the face.

Tariffs have 3 effects:

  • The buyer pays more.
  • Because the buyer pays more, the seller makes fewer sales.
  • The government collects tariff tax revenue.

Whichever way the tariff goes, export or import, it will negatively affect that nation's people. An import tariff, like this, would negatively affect local consumers. An export tariff (eg Canada tariffing electricity exports to the US) would negatively affect local businesses through lost sales (the genius with Canada is the US can't stop buying electricity, so sales local sales would stay the same).

The only way a tariff makes sense for a country is if the tariff tax revenue is reinvested into the local economy. For example, if you tariff imports, you should use that revenue to incentivise local businesses to grow to replace that import.

Trump is not doing that. He's just collecting tax money from American people. He's almost certainly going to spaff that away on some scam, probably crypto, and basically bankrupt the American taxpayer and fuck up everyone's livelihoods.

EU countries should not copy Trump and blanket tax their citizens for American imports. If the EU were to implement tariffs (and I argue this isn't necessary or worthwhile), they should only be done with a plan to reinvest, such that there is a net benefit. Blunt tariffs with no plan will almost certainly have a net negative effect.

China is like Trump, in that neither of them care much about the negative effects on their people. That's why China went hard with retaliatory tariffs. The EU does not need to emulate that behaviour.

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[โ€“] But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world 69 points 4 days ago (7 children)

Iโ€™m surprised Europe isnโ€™t already boycotting all American products, im Canadian and Iโ€™ve actually saved money avoiding their stuff and finding either a local alternative or just going without. Most of the stuff we get from the US is junk food or sugary crap so itโ€™s actually good to avoid them

[โ€“] Tweak@feddit.uk 41 points 4 days ago (3 children)

The EU never really had much in terms of American products, ie food stuffs. The kind of American products the EU has is primarily internet services where there aren't always alternatives (or at least ones that are as polished as the big US ones). Then there's the fact that most people don't even consider a lot of things as American - WhatsApp isn't even recognised as owned by Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook/Meta, for example, for many people in spite of it being overwhelmingly the most popular messaging app in many countries.

[โ€“] But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (7 children)

Yeah im Canadian so we get a lot of their food, I see myself reaching for a snack item or ceral and when I notice itโ€™s American I put it back. After I do I realize I really shouldnโ€™t be eating that crap anyways so it saves me money and keeps me from eating so much junk food

[โ€“] Tweak@feddit.uk 2 points 2 days ago

Yeah, I mean we do get some American food over here, but it's sold as specialty stuff and ridiculously expensive. I'm basically addicted to US Dr Pepper (they use a different recipe in Europe, hell in the US and Canada Dr Pepper is produced by Pepsi but in the EU it's made by Coca Cola) but the price is already crazy. A 12 pack is about $6 USD (pre tax) on offer in Walmart, in the UK on Amazon it's ยฃ28 (inc tax) for 2 ($38.05 or $14 per 12 pack). On the shelves in places that have it the cheapest price is probably ยฃ1.50 per can ($2.04) but only goes up from there.

There are a fair few US candy shops around Europe, at least in major European cities, but more than likely these are money laundering fronts first and foremost.

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[โ€“] lb_o@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

We are. Some transitions take longer, but food was the easiest. European food is superior anyways.

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[โ€“] Valmond@lemmy.world 75 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (8 children)

He'll back down. He's always backing down.

Must be some sort of adrenaline rush or something, threating big players. Then it wears off and everyone tries to explain he's being an idiot and eventually he backs down.

Edit: Don't forget the tariffs are paid for by ~~us~~ US consumers.

[โ€“] DMCMNFIBFFF@lemmy.world 45 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

As a Canadian, a little part of me wants him to increase the tariffs even more, to 100%, 200%, 300%, maybe more.

I want the lessons that Trump-voters are currently being taught, by the free market, to be as unambiguous as possible.

[โ€“] shawn1122@lemm.ee 18 points 4 days ago

He did that temporarily with tariffs on China. Tariffs over 60% are essentially a trade embargo since thats a cost that's too rich for companies to eat and would make imports too cost prohibitive to meaningfully compete with domestic alternatives.

Any tariff that high is a bluff. Essentially all his tariffs are a bluff, a type of 'worst case scenario', so that when he strikes a 'deal' (no matter how meaningless), he can declare victory. He's a TV personality. Its all for show.

The working class in the US is in for some real pain. Its too bad that so many of them voted for this.

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[โ€“] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 20 points 4 days ago (3 children)

The announcements cause predictable stock market jumps that his sycophants can take advantage of over and over again

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[โ€“] takeda@lemm.ee 19 points 4 days ago (3 children)

This is retaliation for sanctioning Russia. He will back down once the wall street start sitting their pants about interest rate increasing for Treasury bills.

He bankrupted 4 casinos, so he can bankrupt a country.

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[โ€“] blandfordforever@lemm.ee 58 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Trump and his friends are making billions off manipulating the stock market by this mechanism.

[โ€“] IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

How much should I bet this time that trump will bitch out

[โ€“] blandfordforever@lemm.ee 18 points 4 days ago (1 children)

He just literally doesn't give a shit if he is fucking everything up and he's too stupid to do the right thing.

The strategy: Put in some shorts, announce Tarrifs, rake in the cash. Buy an obscene amount of stock on margin, announce a reduction in tariffs, rake in the cash.

The next day: Have Charles Schwab on TV with you to announce how your illegal market manipulation and insider trading have earned the man billions in a day. Every dollar of which was stolen from the retirement of the working class.

I live in a sea of selfish, undereducated, self-sabotaging, brainwashed Americans who are dumb as fuck.

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[โ€“] neons@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 4 days ago (8 children)

Fuck yes! I want to stand united against fascism and imperialis!

A united European Army to defend against Russia, China and the US!

[โ€“] kcweller@feddit.nl 14 points 4 days ago

United European army Against imperialists

Pick one.

The fascism is already here, the member states are just as susceptible to it. Fight in your own country against the fascists, or the fascists take your United European army for imperialist means.

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[โ€“] Akasazh@feddit.nl 22 points 4 days ago

I'm certain this was agreed upon in the recent phone conversation between Trump and punting Putin

[โ€“] atro_city@fedia.io 47 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Do it. Please. The people need more negative press about the US. It hasn't reach enough people in the EU yet.

[โ€“] match@pawb.social 20 points 4 days ago

Hasn't reached enough people in the US, but it will

[โ€“] FreddyNO@lemmy.world 16 points 4 days ago
[โ€“] trumpetmouth@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

โ˜๏ธ one percent for โ˜๏ธ

โœ‹โฌ…๏ธevery state in ourโžก๏ธโœ‹

๐Ÿ‘great nation.๐Ÿ‘

...

โœ‹โžก๏ธabsolutelyโฌ…๏ธโœ‹

โœ‹โฌ…๏ธbeautifulโžก๏ธโœ‹

[โ€“] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 23 points 4 days ago (3 children)

At last, the big unifying moment when we'll stop scrolling through memes and DO something. Yessir, I can feel it! Yep, any second now...

[โ€“] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (3 children)

WYM do something?
If you're European or anywhere else watching this clown expediating the demise of the US you need to do absolutely nothing and let him carry on.
If you're in the US IDC. They all deserve what they get, they did nothing about that horrible country when it was trying to be the hegemon and harrassing the rest of the word since they profited and were fine with it.
Now they get a taste of their own medicine they complain but that's about it, they are weak and incapable of real resistance.

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[โ€“] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 17 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Great we can keep our good food and wines at lower prices.
It would be pearls before swines if they go to the US.

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[โ€“] Vari@lemm.ee 22 points 4 days ago

Donโ€™t worry everyone. Once he and his cronies line their pockets, itโ€™ll get reversed. Itโ€™s okay.

[โ€“] DMCMNFIBFFF@lemmy.world 27 points 5 days ago (25 children)

Perhaps, as a Canadian, stuff from Europe (and Asia, and Latin America) might go down a bit.

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[โ€“] Matt3999@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Bring...... It...... On. While you're at it Trump, build the wall around the whole USA

[โ€“] orbitz@lemmy.ca 19 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Have you ever seen such a schlubby looking President? Like his arms are down, shoulders as down as far they can be. Of course he's not doing the accordion hands thing which is sort of a plus for him. That suit looks like off the rack too, I bet he gets them tailored that way heh. He sort of looks like he's giving an 8th grade presentation for his class.

I will say it's highly probable this picture was chosen for those attributes, but it's not like his content or speaking skills would make it better than what is captured in an image. So I'm guessing the image captures the essence of the speech.

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[โ€“] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 4 days ago (9 children)

there probably is some stuff that the eu makes that the us doesn't.

If he tarriffs those, we should not replg by imposing tarriffs of our own (cutting our own balls off). We should just start increasing our prices for those products, therefore increasing their tarriffs

[โ€“] baggins@beehaw.org 1 points 2 days ago

Beer, bread, wine, cars, clothes, style, language, all of it better.

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[โ€“] FatLegTed@piefed.social 2 points 3 days ago

He looks like he's squeezing one out.

[โ€“] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (14 children)

Western Europe should flood etsy with kickass stuff at really great prices to share and be cool to each other but then marks all sales as EU only. Use the US globalization as a way to squarely taunt the US digital bourgeoisie.

sorry! no, thank you! come again!

[โ€“] Telorand@reddthat.com 18 points 5 days ago

I like your idea, but the bourgeoisie aren't shopping on Etsy. Etsy shoppers are regular folk with very little political power (on their own).

What your idea might do is piss off the Etsy shoppers who voted for him, and to that I say: every little bit helps.

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