Editorial Board
Ever-Evolving Trade War Is a Recipe for Disaster
Disrupt global commerce, turn friends into enemies, punish US consumers and make investment planning impossible. What could go wrong?
Build a wall instead.
Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg
The US has opened new fronts in the trade war it seems determined to wage on its own economic partners.
Last week, executive orders imposed 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum, including supplies from allies such as Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, the UK and the European Union. The administration then announced a much broader initiative aimed at imposing “reciprocal tariffs” across the board.