President Donald Trump wants to challenge the laws of the economy



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He basically spent 2016 saying that there was a different political reality than the politicians and most voters knew, and it turned out he was right.

Another similar reality is emerging with regard to the use of tariffs by the president, first against an economic rival – China – and then against our closest trading partner – Mexico – as well as against an ally like Australia, according to The New York Times.

The laws of the economy suggest that markets should react and prices rise.

But the economy does not adhere to these laws. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, although down in May, was not terribly down and still up for the year. Unemployment remains low, but the Friday jobs report revealed that the US economy was creating only 75,000 jobs in May, a period during which Trump extended his trade wars. Consumers have not yet felt the pain of trade war in their portfolios.
Trump has promised tariffs on almost everything that happens from China to the United States. These measures had to be deployed temporarily during trade negotiations. But with negotiations stalled, Trump raised the stakes in a punitive way, holding the promise to raise tariffs on goods worth $ 200 billion to 25 percent.

It's not that it has not had any consequences.

China, Mexico, India, maybe Europe. Who is next?

China was the largest trading partner of the United States in 2018, according to census data. Customs duties have helped bring it down to third place so far in 2019. The new US trading partner number one? Mexico, where Trump threatens to price each import to encourage the Mexican government to prevent Central American refugees from traveling to Mexico from the US border.

Economists & # 39; fears of a 2020 recession in the United States
A contraction in trade between the United States and Mexico could make Canada the new number one. Could Trump find a reason to impose tariffs on them? (May be!)
The list of target countries continues to grow. The White House removed India's special trade status last week, which is expected to raise prices for goods from the ninth largest trading partner of the United States. The possibility of new tariffs of 25% on foreign automobiles would target Europe.

On the road to economic orthodoxy

The promises made to consumers have not shaken the US markets and other economic data continues to flow, which has emboldened the President and some of his advisers to argue that the rules of the perceived economy do not apply. not.

"I understand that, it's the economic orthodoxy that says when tariffs go up, consumer prices go up," White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a statement. interview with Fox News Sunday. "But the proof is in the pudding, there is no inflation, prices have not risen, we are putting tariffs on China, we are charging tariffs on Mexico and the United States. Inflation is still under control.This is because this outdated economic orthodoxy does not work when it is relatively easy to replace other goods, prices from China have increased. "

Aside from that Trump 's nationalism was first sold as a way to bring back jobs from China to the United States, not to send them to other Asian countries, like Vietnam. In the case of Mexico, tariffs are used as a political stick and could actually complicate the trade deal with Mexico that Trump wants Congress to ratify.

Not bluff

Mulvaney also tried to point out that Trump was very serious about the generalized tariffs applied in Mexico, which would start on 5 June at 5% and increase to 25% in October. It is possible that people think that it is bluffing to possibly increase the price of their lawyers or to finance the supply chain of the auto industry. Chipotle warns of an increase of 5 cents per burrito if tariffs become permanent, which many people may not want to notice at a time when Americans who want jobs usually have them and where the confidence of consumers remains very large.

But the tariffs on tariffs could have a compound effect because they add prices here or there. And those 5 cents per burrito will mean more for Chipotle than for an individual consumer. Trump's strategy can draw the ultimate lesson: it takes time for these factors to hurt the economy.

Encourage the UK to break free from chains

While traveling to Europe for a state visit and commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Trump seemed to encourage the UK to adopt the same kind of gonzo trade bravery with an oblique reference to "chains" which could only be a reference to Brexit.

Most British want to conclude an exit agreement with the European Union to alleviate the shock on their economy, but Trump's political allies in this country, like the former Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, who wishes to replace outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May the country out of the EU, agreement or not, comes a new deadline in October.

Trump seemed to be invoking Brexit and was mocking a trade deal between the UK and the UK "once the UK gets rid of its chains."

The message is that it would reward Britain for a stronger break with Europe.

The conventional wisdom is that tariffs pose a threat to the economy

Meanwhile, as Trump continues to raise rates and trust projects, business leaders are increasingly fearful.

A majority of economists surveyed by the National Association for the Business Economy said that protectionist trade policies constituted the greatest threat to the economy in 2019.

You would not know about Trump's Twitter feed, which talks about the price he pays to China and his complaints about how his government is actively subsidizing the industry.

"China subsidizes its product so that it can continue to be sold in the US Many companies are leaving it for other countries, including the United States, to avoid paying the costs. No visible increase in costs or inflation, but US takes billions! "

This claim that the Treasury coffers are full of billions of dollars is exaggerated and has been debunked, but he continues to say so. He did not mention how the tax law he signed should blow up the US budget deficits.

His outgoing economic adviser did so though.

For two years, Kevin Hbadett chaired the Council of Economic Advisers of the White House. He was previously a supporter of free trade and sounded the alarm about the large national debt, although these views were tempered during his stay at the White House.

The outgoing economist at the White House says that tariffs and deficits are bad for America

Hbadett's imminent departure, announced Sunday night, has nothing to do with Trump's tariffs or debt, he told CNN's Poppy Harlow.

He admitted that there were more and more questions about the economic outlook.

"The uncertainty about the forecasts is much greater than the last time we spoke," he said, citing an interview conducted a month ago. He said that growth would likely be less than the 3% promised by Trump, but that he was not afraid of a recession.

Why worry in Trump 's economy?

This story has been updated to reflect Friday's jobs report.

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