Trump overrules cabinet, plots global trade war

[K1052]

With the political world distracted by President Trump's media wars, one of the most consequential and contentious internal debates of his presidency unfolded during a tense meeting Monday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, administration sources tell Axios.

• The outcome, with a potentially profound effect on U.S. economic and foreign policy, will be decided in coming days.
• With more than 20 top officials present, including Trump and Vice President Pence, the president and a small band of America First advisers made it clear they're hell-bent on imposing tariffs — potentially in the 20% range — on steel, and likely other imports.
• The penalties could eventually extend to other imports. Among those that may be considered: aluminum, semiconductors, paper, and appliances like washing machines.

One official estimated the sentiment in the room as 22 against and 3 in favor — but since one of the three is named Donald Trump, it was case closed.

No decision has been made, but the President is leaning towards imposing tariffs, despite opposition from nearly all his Cabinet.

In a plan pushed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and backed by chief strategist Steve Bannon (not present at the meeting), trade policy director Peter Navarro and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, the United States would impose tariffs on China and other big exporters of steel. Neither Mike Pence nor Jared Kushner weighed in either way.

Everyone else in the room, more than 75% of those present, were adamantly opposed, arguing it was bad economics and bad global politics. At one point, Trump was told his almost entire cabinet thought this was a bad idea. But everyone left the room believing the country is headed toward a major trade confrontation.

The reason, we're told: Trump's base — which drives more and more decisions, as his popularity sinks — likes the idea, and will love the fight.

The problem, according to top officials who argued strenuously that the move is ill-advised: The trade war wouldn't just affect China. The collateral damage would include a slew of allies, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Watch for: Trump was warned — and White House officials anticipate — that an affected industry like automakers is likely to seek a court injunction within hours of any tariffs on steel.

https://www.axios.com/exclusive-trump-plots-trade-wars-2450764900.html

Given his detail oriented nature and a firm appreciation of the consequences of his actions what could possible go wrong....besides everything?

 

[TraumaRN]

Watch the stock market take a nose dive as this gets out. Good god it's not 1902 anymore. This would just decimate the US economy(and probably the world economy in turn)

 

[K1052]

Watch the stock market take a nose dive as this gets out. Good god it's not 1902 anymore. This would just decimate the US economy(and probably the world economy in turn)

The markets have, thus far, ignored most of the political risk emanating from the White House. Given the high levels they are at any concrete moves that spook them could have quite the effect.

 

[UNCjigga]

Why hasn't Tillerson just said enough with this bullshit and quit already? Who keeps prodding him to keep his meaningless job at a shell of a State Dept?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Watch the stock market take a nose dive as this gets out. Good god it's not 1902 anymore. This would just decimate the US economy(and probably the world economy in turn)

Time to invest in BTC, at least that'll be worth something to other nations in a year or two.

 

[Stokely]

Why hasn't Tillerson just said enough with this bullshit and quit already? Who keeps prodding him to keep his meaningless job at a shell of a State Dept?

I don't know much about Tillerson--and what I have heard I don't like--but it's always possible some of these people really do have the country's interest at heart and want to act as a buffer and foil to Trump. Or attempt to.

Of course, for all I know he's getting a giant sum of money from somewhere as a kickback, to pick another extreme. Who knows?

 

[Stokely]

I think before I saw that televised cabinet meeting I might have taken a more "wait and see" attitude on this. Just doesn't seem real that a politician--even Trump--would go against senior advisors.

But that meeting...that meeting...him grinning like the Cheshire Cat while all these career, high-powered people puckered up to Trump...this fits right in. He's the King, they are the ministers. The King does what the King wants (yeah, I've been re-watching game of thrones.)

 

[Homerboy]

Sadly, the worlds greatest businessman, doesn't understand business.

 

[vi edit]

I think before I saw that televised cabinet meeting I might have taken a more "wait and see" attitude on this. Just doesn't seem real that a politician--even Trump--would go against senior advisors.

But that meeting...that meeting...him grinning like the Cheshire Cat while all these career, high-powered people puckered up to Trump...this fits right in. He's the King, they are the ministers. The King does what the King wants (yeah, I've been re-watching game of thrones.)

I think the phrase you are looking for is "The king shits and the hand wipes".

 

[Jhhnn]

Watch the stock market take a nose dive as this gets out. Good god it's not 1902 anymore. This would just decimate the US economy(and probably the world economy in turn)

The best time to be filthy rich is when everybody else is broke, busted & begging.

 

[Double Trouble]

Those infamous "sources" at it again? I don't believe anything at this point from most of the media outlets unless it's sourced and confirmed.

 

[senseamp]

Sounds like a good time for China to investigate Trump/Kushner businesses.

 

[buckshot24]

He's president. Lots of presidents have disagreed with some on their cabinets. This "overrule" language is pretty silly.

 

[Azuma Hazuki]

This sounds like a really dumb idea economically. This sort of protectionism flat out does not work in a globally-connected economy like ours.

 

[Thebobo]

Just not on Computers, large screen TVs, and RC stuff please!

 

[woolfe9998]

There's a silver lining here to Trump's economic idiocy. It's highly likely that the current, solid economy is the only thing propping his approvals even to the dismal high 30's they are at right now. At least a quarter of his voters only voted for him because they disliked Clinton more than him. Polls also show that his promise of "jobs, jobs, jobs" was key to many of his voters, and his approval ratings for the economy rank higher than in other areas because some people evidently think him being a billionaire qualifies him to understand the macro-economy. If these foolish policies tank the economy, it will take his presidency down, and the rest of the GOP along with it.

 

[fskimospy]

Apparently this idiot also thought our trade deficit is the source of our national debt.

This guy seriously has to be the stupidest person ever to hold the office of president.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Apparently this idiot also thought our trade deficit is the source of our national debt.

This guy seriously has to be the stupidest person ever to hold the office of president.

I think that's a fair statement. Although gerald ford may give him a run for that title.

 

[zinfamous]

So, how deep into the "Kansas experiment" will this Orangeman be allowed to drag the entire country before his ass is shit-canned?

 

[TheVrolok]

Apparently this idiot also thought our trade deficit is the source of our national debt.

This guy seriously has to be the stupidest person ever to hold the office of president.

It's obvious he has absolutely no understanding of any of the basics of, well, anything. Most stupid is bad, combine that with most uniformed and least willing to learn and we've got a real problem.