Liberation Day: US Tariffs on Everyone

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/ZSchneeweiss/status/1909525370984128943

[Jaak]

[Arcturian108]

Thirty-five years ago I was living and working in Tokyo, when I asked my spirit guides which countries were going to be preeminent in the world at a time that Japan looked like it was becoming a major power, with the value of its real estate equivalent to that of the whole U.S.A. My Japanese friends were gloating at that time. The answer my guides gave me in 1990 was that the U.S. and Russia would both be preeminent powers for the next 500 years.

[T Smith]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Here's Alex Krainer talking to Larry Johnson, posted a few hours ago:[INDENT] [I][B]I'm torn between thinking these guys are really smart and sophisticated and they thought things through, or these people are completely dumb and they're making it up as they go along.

There is a lot of knee-jerk sky-is-falling commentary, but what I haven't read (yet) is what the practical contingency plan is for the US if China doesn't relent. Surely that was a possibility the Administration war-gamed and thought through before engaging this battle. And in fact, not blinking seems like the most likely outcome from China. So now what? The long-term objective is obvious--even desirable and needed: domestic re-industrialization and some kind of balanced restructuring of the supply chain. The laws of supply/demand will eventually facilitate this in the long term, but "liberation" is not going to happen overnight. So what's the plan in the interim?

It's not like Trump to announce his strategies in the open, but one has to think there is contingency in place if/when China doesn't come to the table. That might include some kind of emergency stimulus to the small businesses most affected, a reprieve of some type (or elimination) of the income tax, or some kind of restructuring incentive for exporters in position to import (or begin producing) the most vital components of the supply chain. Perhaps this may require a temporary subsidy or incentive to keep prices stable and supply moving. And perhaps none of these suggestions are economically viable, but the point is, there surely is some card in the deck ready to play if/when the current standoff reaches a stalemate.

Right now the focus on whether the Trump Administration's actions are really smart or completely dumb hinges, IMO, on what their next moves might be when China squats.

[Jaak]

Posted by T Smith (here)
It's not like Trump to announce his strategies in the open, but one would have to think there is contingency in place if/when China doesn't come to the table. That might include some kind of emergency stimulus to the small businesses most affected, a reprieve of some type (or elimination) of the income tax, or some kind of restructuring incentive for exporters in position to import (or begin producing) the most vital components of the supply chain. .

Small businesses will get bought up cheaply by billionaires . Redistribution of wealth seems to be the plan (make the rich even richer).
You will own nothing and you will eat ze bugz ...

Meanwhile dont forget to buy some Trump swag before prices go up !!

[Merkaba360]

America is by far the number one consumer of useless crap and unnecessary products which may be low quality. They will take a fairly big hit from that since there will be nowhere to go for a lot of that, regardless of the other markets they do well in. In the long run, its good if we stop manufacturing so much nonsense we dont need.

Imagine playing a sport team and one of the teams supplied all the gear and sold every other team fake gear at inflated prices and used high quality gear for their team. Then, cheated by taking performance enhancing drugs (subsidized companies to get into the market when others cant compete).

On top of that, everyone else had to play by the rules, but it decided its own rules (law). Every team also had to play by the financial rules and salary caps, but it didnt (GAAP accounting laws, cooking the books). That team couldnt be held accountable for its actions and no team could push for replay reviews against them (ability to sue). But they could do that to ever other team.

Then you make trades with them and they just steal your players. (intellectual theft). During the game they stole all the stuff out of your locker room, sold it and copied it. (ripping off, cloning your products).

Would anybody allow that team in the league and bother to play any games with them?

This is what the forced negotiations is all about, not just trade imbalances for them. Kevin O'Leary was ranting about all of this as some of you may have seen. And America is the only country to finally do something about that. If Bill is right and it ends bad for America, and none of the above is stopped then that is sad. And the rest of the world may have done nothing to help.

FYI, SpiritmanJT just said spirit told him that right now China is hurting the worst. Sad to hear, but I don't know how you get all the theft to stop. Apparently , theft is a huge problem within their country as well?
He said, this will all turn out good in the long run, but 2025-2032 is a big test period. Awhile back he said it will look like China is winning, but USA will invent some incredibly genius monetary system (I believe it was 2028 ish) that will change things. I'd guess something with quantum computing. Perhaps, USA needs to get humbled a bit , feel like 2nd place to piss them off and focus to compete hard.

Trump's plan ain't masterminded by just him obviously. Secret societies planning a lot. So, no way its some mad mans delusion. It is done with deep knowledge of the system and America is really good (loads of experience) playing the game with lots and lots of levers and moving parts. But, the system is so complicated and changing rapidly, that they still might knowingly be taking a huge gamble.

Since we are in such crucial times, I tend to think Trump is getting some visions or guidance from beyond this realm. I believe it was said George Washington had some. Also, it is pluto return = death and rebirth. Birth = 1776 , pluto return = 2024. This is the rebirth of America. Maybe Trump's brush with death was needed to strengthen his belief in higher powers to make him more receptive to guidance from above.

Interestingly, one seer is seeing that the essential items will eventually be cheaper and other items more expensive. He mentioned cosmetics as an example. lol This would be great to stop the women from wearing so much makeup and other fakery This is what we want to help the poor and more consumption tax for the wealthy. I think an energy breakthru will play a big role in this.

Lastly, I think Trump is fine with making big moves that are more risky. Even if he fails, I bet it brings many things to light that will create may losses for those who thrive from secrecy.

[Bill Ryan]

Another reversal:

• https://zerohedge.com/markets/trump-exempts-computers-handsets-chips-reciprocal-tariff-blitz

Trump Exempts Computers, Handsets, Chips from Reciprocal Tariff Blitz

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued an updated guidance late Friday night on product exclusions from President Trump's reciprocal tariffs, imposed under Executive Order 14257 and its amendments (EO 14259). The exclusions cover a wide range of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, and related components.

First, President Trump paused reciprocal tariffs for non-retaliating countries (e.g., China) for 90 days last week. Now, updated guidance from CBP reveals that some of the highest-value trade—particularly a wide range of electronics—is excluded from the reciprocal tariffs.

Among the 20 tariff codes listed for exemption, three stand out in particular:

• 8471 – Automatic data processing machines and units thereof (e.g., laptops, desktops, servers).
• 8517.13.00 – Smartphones and other telecommunication apparatus for cellular networks.
• 8542 – Electronic integrated circuits (e.g., microprocessors, memory chips).

Here's the complete list:

• 8471 – Automatic data processing machines and units thereof (e.g., laptops, desktops, servers).
• 8473.30 – Parts and accessories for automatic data processing machines (e.g., computer parts).
• 8486 – Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits.
• 8517.13.00 – Smartphones and other telecommunication apparatus for cellular networks.
• 8517.62.00 – Machines for the reception, conversion, and transmission/regeneration of voice, images, or other data (e.g., modems, routers).
• 8523.51.00 – Solid-state non-volatile storage devices (e.g., flash memory, SSDs).
• 8524 – Media for the recording of sound or other phenomena, not elsewhere specified (can include CDs, DVDs, etc.).
• 8528.52.00 – Monitors capable of directly connecting to an automatic data processing machine (e.g., computer monitors).
• 8541.10.00 – Diodes, other than photosensitive or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
• 8541.21.00 – Transistors with a dissipation rate of <1 W.
• 8541.29.00 – Other transistors.
• 8541.30.00 – Thyristors, diacs, and triacs (semiconductor switching devices).
• 8541.49.10 – Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) – chips mounted in discrete packages.
• 8541.49.70 – Other LEDs, not listed elsewhere.
• 8541.49.80 – Infrared LEDs.
• 8541.49.95 – Other light-emitting semiconductor devices.
• 8541.51.00 – Silicon-based photovoltaic devices (solar cells), whether or not assembled in modules or panels.
• 8541.59.00 – Other photovoltaic devices.
• 8541.90.00 – Parts of the goods of heading 8541 (e.g., parts for diodes, transistors, LEDs).
• 8542 – Electronic integrated circuits (e.g., microprocessors, memory chips).

To close out the week, the U.S.–China trade war escalated in a highly predictable tit-for-tat fashion. The U.S. now imposes a 145% effective tariff rate on Chinese goods, while Beijing has retaliated with a 125% rate on American products.

[bojancan]

It's seams to me that we are in the midst of the beginning of a feudal society... crazy!!!! Trump's abusive aspects of all this is really important... for all... not only for US... many are frustrated by the hot mess we're in... but we shall not give up!!!!!

===


Ashok Kumar, associate professor of political economy at Birkbeck, University of London, joins the show to shed light on Trump's sweeping tariffs and how the impending trade war will impact labor movements, the Global South, and those most oppressed by a world economic system with rampant corporate exploitation.

Trump Tariffs: U.S. Attempt to Bully China Backfires w/ Ashok Kumar

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=tF-bzwlpNLk

=======



"We have really pissed off the whole world."

Nobel laureate and economist Paul Krugman joins Mehdi Hasan in this Zeteo town hall to discuss the impact of tariffs on the global economy, the dangers of trade wars on everyday consumers, and what Donald Trump is trying to achieve.

”[The] stock market is not the economy… But the point is actually that it's a symptom of something which is much more important, which is that if we don't actually have a recession, we're certainly going to be seeing a really bad year for the economy. And this is really the first time in history that a president has caused, you know, a terrible economy.”

This interview originally aired as a LIVE Q&A on Zeteo.com, then was published exclusively to paid Zeteo.com subscribers. To participate in our next live Q&A, and to get early, EXCLUSIVE access to unfiltered, independent journalism — subscribe to our Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

The REAL Impact of Global Tariffs

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3gqAjCzCwLw

[Bill Ryan]

I wrote yesterday:

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
Quite a few of the most bullish Trump supporters are of the opinion that Trump is taking a huge gamble, whatever his intentions or how much he really understands. Many are growing concerned.

I looked through the comments on the Zero Hedge article I cited above, a purely factual report of the new announcement. (Trump Exempts Computers, Handsets, Chips from Reciprocal Tariff Blitz)

The Zero Hedge readership (and Zero Hedge itself) is predominantly pro-Trump and scathingly critical of neocon and neoliberal policies. But the Zero Hedge commenters are rapidly becoming frustrated and sarcastic about Trump's apparently wild policy swings and apparently careless or thoughtless public comments.

I'm cautious about my own opinions here. They're not fully developed, though I'm watching everything like a hawk. One of the bellwethers may be Judge Napolitano's channel, where he interviews high-profile (and very well-informed) analysts every week. Those include Alastair Crooke, Jeffrey Sachs, John Mearsheimer, Lawrence Wilkerson, Douglas Macgregor, Pepe Escobar, Max Blumenthal, Ray McGovern, Larry Johnson, and quite a few others. Every one of them is now becoming increasingly critical of Trump's recent actions and statements.

The significance here is that these are all Trump voters who don't have any agenda save for a genuinely libertarian one. And (as I said above) every one of them is growing concerned.

(A developing story, as they say in the media. )

[Rizotto]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
I wrote yesterday:

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
Quite a few of the most bullish Trump supporters are of the opinion that Trump is taking a huge gamble, whatever his intentions or how much he really understands. Many are growing concerned.

I looked through the comments on the Zero Hedge article I cited above, a purely factual report of the new announcement. (Trump Exempts Computers, Handsets, Chips from Reciprocal Tariff Blitz)

The Zero Hedge readership (and Zero Hedge itself) is predominantly pro-Trump and scathingly critical of neocon and neoliberal policies. But the Zero Hedge commenters are rapidly becoming frustrated and sarcastic about Trump's apparently wild policy swings and apparently careless or thoughtless public comments.

I'm cautious about my own opinions here. They're not fully developed, though I'm watching everything like a hawk. One of the bellwethers may be Judge Napolitano's channel, where he interviews high-profile (and very well-informed) analysts every week. Those include Alastair Crooke, Jeffrey Sachs, John Mearsheimer, Lawrence Wilkerson, Douglas Macgregor, Pepe Escobar, Max Blumenthal, Ray McGovern, Larry Johnson, and quite a few others. Every one of them is now becoming increasingly critical of Trump's recent actions and statements.

The significance here is that these are all Trump voters who don't have any agenda save for a genuinely libertarian one. And (as I said above) every one of them is growing concerned.

(A developing story, as they say in the media. )

My feeling as well. But I go a bit further, and am watching for indications that there is a deliberate controlled demolition by the Trump regime of the world economic system(s). Those indications are growing by the day. Just too many reckless and destructive moves & comments have been done by Trump and some of his 'team'.

Trump has already made many anti-BRICS comments, showing that he knows the US hegemony is waning before the BRICS. He has already stated his strong opposition to the dropping of the US dollar as world currency. The latest threats and flip flops by Trump and his team show that they prefer to blast the world economy to pieces, rather than letting other economic alliances take the driver's seat. They'll even start WW3 for that purpose. Thinking of Iran right now...

[BMJ]

Shiny Object Syndrome

That is such a great thread. I think it speaks of threads like this every analyst is providing a blow by blow reaction to tariffs DOGE findings etc, that's their job, and we seem to be reacting to every event.

I am taking a deep breath and step back, and let's see were we land in a while.

What do I know for fact
President Trump has the best interest of the people of the USA at heart.

President Trump has an IQ of 156, an economics degree, is a very successful businessman, and a grandmaster in chess. He is highly capable of dealing with economics and china.

Countless times President Trump has signalled he is a part of Q ( Which for the most part is still being ignored as being a huge part of this process)

Q is conducting warfare " by all means " against the cabal.

That implies that President Trump is backed by over 200 generals who are " gaming every senerio out several times a day with the assistance of AI.

These are the growing pains for the USA and western countries which will get us out of our designed by the cabal dependence on Chinese products.

Lastly, people are claiming President Trump is behaving irratically that's misdirection. You are not going to telegraph your intentions to the enemy.



P.S. l love the above post 104 by T.Smith I think your on the money.

P.S.S. l also like Bill Ryan's post 92.

P.S.S.S. The federal reserve of every country bar Russia was or is owned by the Rothschild family, and so yes President Trump is either going crash that financial system or flip it some way to a new gold/silver backed currency.

[BMJ]

Posted by AutumnW (here)

Posted by BMJ (here)
Cry Me A River China

China was happy for the USA to live on food stamps and in tent cities and become a third world country all in an effort to save China, well now the shoes on the other foot China.

I say to President Trump play chicken with China keep upping the tariffs until it really hurts because we know China will have to relent.

To Lin western countries don't need you second rate products so go away we don't want your crap anymore.


China calls US tariffs 'bullying', urged others to continue with consultation

BEIJING, April 7 (Reuters) - Threats and pressure are not the right way to deal with China, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday after describing U.S. President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" as bullying.

The tariffs are "typical unilateralism and protectionism, and economic bullying", spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular press conference. He said that U.S. tariffs in the name of reciprocity only served its own interest at the expense of other countries.

Last week, Trump introduced an additional 34% tariff on Chinese goods as part of steep levies imposed on most U.S. trade partners, bringing the total duties on China this year to 54%. China retaliated with a series of countermeasures.

Lin deferred to other bodies the question of whether China would engage in negotiations with the United States.

U.S. customs agents have been collecting Trump's unilateral 10% tariff on all imports from many countries since Saturday.

"The abuse of tariffs by the United States is tantamount to depriving countries, especially those in the Global South, of their right to development," Lin said, citing a widening gap between the rich and poor in each country, and less developed countries suffering a greater impact.

Link: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...on-2025-04-07/

How was China responsible for subprime mortgage backed securities? That's what triggered the 2008 recession. You can blame China for a lot of things, but not what America's banks and lending companies got up to that pushed US over the edge the last time.

I never said they were and I can not comment on that.

What I do know is the cabal gifted our industry to china via instruments such as the Lima Declaration and china happily accepted, this goes back to the 1970's.

And to this day they still do. An example the automotive manufacturer Cherie is a rip off of Chevy and they carbon copy US vehicles like the F-150 and Chevy SUV's.

All at the expense of the USA and other western countries.

And for this I can squarely lay the blame at the feet of china.

P.S. Ferrari takes offence at anyone impacting on their brand and sues them, maybe Chevy should sue the ass off of Cherie for similar transgressions.

[shaberon]

The "experiment in progress" is in the middle of "where did it go?", having seen a river of gold flowing so quickly it could not liquefy fast enough.


The answer to where it went is Funds:

In total, 92 tonnes of gold, valued at $8.6 billion, flowed into global ETFs last month. Meanwhile, 226 tonnes of gold, valued at $21 billion, flowed into ETFs in the first quarter, marking the second highest quarterly level in dollar terms, only behind the second quarter of 2020.


That's not into the hands of the common people as they do in India and Arab countries. This is an asset that is important for the terms of Basel III.

What we have just received is grease to a fire:


...with the U.S. dollar index dropping below 100 and Treasury yields rising out of their multi-decade range, gold was the ultimate beneficiary as the last safe haven standing.


It went to 3k and even up to $3,200.

Here are a few quotes from around Kitco:

Although gold’s rally is starting to look a little parabolic with the latest move, analysts have said that it is difficult to know exactly where fair value is as the U.S. dollar drops and bond yields rise.

“Usually, gold would need to consolidate at new highs before fresh buyers emerge to take advantage of lower prices and a reduction in overbought conditions,’” said David Morrison, Senior Market Analyst at Trade Nation. “But investors were desperate to find a safe haven amidst the market carnage, particularly after the flight into US Treasuries, the traditional ‘flight to quality’ trade, went so spectacularly wrong. Gold continues to attract buyers who continue to look for safe havens amid the weaker dollar and the relentless stream of competing tariff headlines. But it is now up over 8% since Wednesday, so ‘caveat emptor.”

Naeem Aslam, Chief Investment Officer at Zaye Capital Markets, said he also expects gold prices will continue to rally.

“It’s overbought, no question—frothy even—but chaos like this flips the script,” he said. “When panic sets in, gold becomes the only port in the storm, and that fear can easily push it higher before reality kicks in.”

Jonas Goltermann, Deputy Chief Markets Economist at Capital Economics, said this is a sea change in the U.S. dollar as the world economy continues to react to President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

“It is too soon to say what the longer-term effects of the past ten days’ turmoil will be, and there is still time for damage limitation by policymakers,” he said in a note. “But, in our view, it is no longer hyperbole to say that the dollar’s reserve status and broader dominant role is at least somewhat in question, even if the inertia and network effects that have kept the dollar on top for decades are not going away any time soon, and our base case is that it will recover to some degree.”

It’s not only a weak U.S. dollar that is supporting gold, but a surprising rise in U.S. bond yields. The yield on U.S. 10-year notes is ending the week at 4.5%; the market has seen its biggest push higher on record.

Traditionally, higher bond yields are negative for gold as they raise the precious metal's opportunity costs as a non-yielding asset. However, analysts note that U.S. bonds are selling off as the world starts to question America’s role as a reliable trading partner.

A weak U.S. dollar and higher bond yields mean investors are looking for other safe-haven assets such as gold, and to some extent, silver.

So, the attempt is to increase the Bond Yield to make it attractive, that is, so the government can get more loans.

Usually, such a move would be super-sweet and gold would remain on the shelf, but not this time.

“The rise in bond yields (in this particular unusual scenario) is super bullish for gold because it means that Treasuries are sinking as they lose their safe-haven appeal,” Colombo said. “That means that the Fed will soon need to end QT and launch QE to prop up the Treasury market, which will be rocket fuel for precious metals and commodities in general.”

Market analysts at TD Securities said that it is the threat of further economic weakness in the U.S. that is hurting the U.S. dollar and bond yields. Slower growth comes as the U.S. government continues to see a significant rise in debt.

“One reason for the loss of haven appeal is linked to the loss of US exceptionalism. In fact, the US's growth advantage to the rest of the world has finally disappeared after 2 years. US equities have also severely underperformed global equities, and the USD has mirrored that,” the analysts said. “We expect USD to weaken in 2025 as the gap between the US and the rest of the world shrinks.”

So, it's panic desperation for the ailing dollar and Treasuries. They are not designed to lose control and have to face reality. They depend on infinite growth spearheaded by military adventurism. The stock market can't do anything but indicate these are running smoothly. If not, there is no repair that it can actually make. Helpless.

[bojancan]

Very interesting and beneficial dialogue with those two intellectuals... so much informations... yes... for me! Mehdi and Yanis!

How the Center-Left is Responsible for the Rise of Fascism

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=GYBnSPX3BMo

Mehdi Hasan speaks with Yanis Varoufakis — former finance minister of Greece and renowned left-wing intellectual — about the billionaire class of tech bros like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos growing in power in the US, the center-left's responsibility for the rise of fascism, and the genocide in Gaza in this Zeteo town hall.'

This interview originally aired as a LIVE Q&A on Zeteo.com, then was published exclusively to paid Zeteo.com subscribers. To participate in our next live Q&A, and to get early, EXCLUSIVE access to unfiltered, independent journalism — subscribe to our Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

Watch the full video to hear Mehdi and Varoufakis' fascinating conversation. They discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, why US Democrats failed so badly in the last election, and why big tech leaders like Musk and Peter Thiel are so invested in pro-Israel speech.

"When they hear you and me talk about equal political rights from the river to the sea, they get really scared. Because for them, equality is the most potent and threatening word in the English language. Why? They know that they live on stolen land.”


=====

I agree with Kyle!!!

China HUMILIATES Trump As He CAVES On Tariffs | The Kyle Kulinski Show

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ac81GvtJ0AY

[bojancan]

Ryan and Saagar discuss China banning rare earth minerals to the US....

Breaking Points
1.42M subscribers

IT'S ON: China BANS Rare Earth Minerals To US

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=R2-GsYRDNz0

[bojancan]

Just finished this Kim's video... very well done! We all know what Trump is doing... he doesn't have a clue! My opinion... or he doesn't care....

We're LOSING The Tariff War With China: How Our Elites Sold Us Out

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=m1IMdY0r4xY

Is China really cheating—or did America’s elites sell us out?

In this explosive segment, we break down the real story behind the U.S.-China trade war. From viral Chinese exposés pulling back the curtain on luxury brands made in Chinese factories, to viral clips exposing how tariffs have backfired—this isn’t the narrative you're getting from the mainstream.

We dig into how U.S. corporations handed over technology, offshored jobs, and gutted the middle class while blaming China for the fallout. Meanwhile, China built high-speed rail, smart cities, and an industrial base that’s now leaving the U.S. in the dust. So who's really winning this trade war?

Watch as we dismantle the myths about "Made in France" luxury, expose how even Trump merch is made in China, and hear a sobering message from a Chinese national calling out the rot inside America—not in Beijing, but in Washington and Wall Street.

[bojancan]

I am following what is going on with tariffs... so much is happening...

China CUTS OFF BOEING: CRIPPLING US Manufacturing

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2qTbHL653Dg

====

There's no getting around the elephant in the room and 36 trillion debt.... his liberation day... is his Art of Bankruptcy...

The US Dollar Continues to Crash: What Next?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aV388-Ik4wI

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
🇨🇳🛑🇺🇸China has ordered its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing, opens new tab jets in response to Trump's decision to impose 145% tariffs on Chinese goods

Shares of Boeing - which looks at China as one of its biggest growth markets and where rival Airbus, opens new tab holds a dominant position - were down 3% in premarket trading.

https://x.com/Hawkeye1745/status/1912100040241217952

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/Hawkeye1745/status/1911992447153983696

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/Barchart/status/1911828543409193104