, Columnist
Trump's a Lonely Trade Warrior, But Not Alone
A lack of social protections feeds protectionism in the U.S.
Volatile and reckless.
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Threatening tariffs on imports from China, President Donald Trump has provoked swift vows of retaliation from Beijing, shaken financial markets, and generated great uncertainty and confusion. Long before China started to run huge trade surpluses against the U.S., he ranted against American trade partners. Other countries, he claimed in 1999, “can’t believe how easy it is to deal with the U.S. We are known as a bunch of saps.” Elevated to the White House, Trump has turned into a reckless trade warrior. His recent tweets on Syria and Russia confirm that he thinks too lightly of even real wars.
But it is too easy to blame the present outbreak of beggar-thy-partner protectionism on a volatile American president.