NEW: Scott Bessent says Trump didn’t just raise tariffs—he set a trap, and China walked right into it.

This is what 4D chess looks like.

Markets are rebounding after President Trump slapped a 125% tariff on Chinese imports while giving a 90-day pause to other countries.

The… pic.twitter.com/M9KMreyWeG

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) April 9, 2025

Scoop: @WhiteHouse officials now concede the potential @tiktok_us deal — sale to a US company by the Chinese—is off the table for the foreseeable future and maybe forever as we go to a trade war focused totally on the Chinese. Story developing

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) April 9, 2025

"The existing U.S. tariff structure on imports from Canada and Mexico — a 25% duty on goods not covered by the trilateral trade deal known as USMCA — remains unchanged, the official says." Per cnbc

— unseen1 (@unseen1_unseen) April 9, 2025

Amazon cancels wholesale orders of products made in China amid trade war: reporthttps://t.co/x6pWUxjHS3

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) April 9, 2025

Waiting for Walmart….

Sure starting to look like Trump is isolating the Chinese economy from the rest of the world…

javajaws said:

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BusterAg said:

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javajaws said:

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BusterAg said:

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will25u said:

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Guess they changed their mind on retaliatory tariffs.

BREAKING: The European Union says they're ready to negotiate with the United States, says they've offered zero for zero tariffs.

The announcement was made by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

"Europe is always ready for a good deal. So we keep it on the… pic.twitter.com/yTRTS8B4us

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 7, 2025

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Have to address VAT, and we are good.

With the EU, since they don't really manipulate their currency as much as Asia, the only issues are tariffs and VAT.

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You will never get them to remove VAT because it is a consumption tax, not an import tax. Imports and domestic EU goods pay VAT equally.

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Don't need to remove VAT, just address it. There are various ways of addressing it.

The EU doesn't charge VAT on exports into the US. This sets up a competition barrier between domestic US manufacturers and EU exporters, because EU income taxes are lower in the EU compared to the government services offered in the EU due to the VAT.

But, we have been round and round about this.

Not charging exporters VAT is no different than giving exporters a tax credit. It is an anticompetitive subsidy.

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Of course they don't charge exports VAT because exports aren't consumed within their borders. VAT is a consumption tax on their people.

Look at it this way:

If they charged a VAT on their exports then that would unfairly disadvantage their exports. US companies don't pay VAT on goods sold within the US so why should goods being imported into the US?'

And before you say "Well US companies pay income tax..." - well, EU companies pay income tax too. So how would them paying VAT on their exports be fair trade? They WOULD pay a VAT if the US had a VAT (US companies would pay as well), but we don't so no need to pay one.

You have to understand that their overall tax rate (VAT + corp income tax) is HIGHER than US corp tax alone. And the average EU corp tax is comparable but slightly lower on average than the US corp tax rate (you would need to calculate a weighted average to see how much the difference is, but it would effectively be under 4%).

I'll keep responding to this nonsense that VAT is a discriminatory trade barrier until proven otherwise. And so far, you keep ignoring EU corp tax rates.

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I'm not ignoring EU corporate tax rates. It's not our fault that Canada and the UK decided to give their entire country free healthcare, while the US worker has to pay around $20,000 a year for family health insurance. A company's tax rate is related to the company's cost of government as a % of GDP. You can pay EU workers less than US workers, because they get more benefits and more government socialism. So, pointing to relative income tax rates is besides the point.

In the 1970's, when the US started refunding US exporters for the VAT taxes collected on their exports in the form of tax credits, the EU complained. The complaints about the US refunding exporters for VAT had nothing to do with the competitive level of prices. It had everything to do with comparison at the profit level, not the product level.

Again, if the US switched to 100% consumption tax with no income tax, EU domestic producers would be furious that US exporters paid exactly zero taxes to the federal government, and would call that unfair trade. If it is unfair trade at the hyperbole, it is also unfair trade at the margin. You disagree. Fine. But it is incorrect to say I am ignoring EU income taxes.

BREAKING - China has just announced that they are willing to come to the table to negotiate after President Trump levied 125% tariffs at them earlier today.

— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) April 10, 2025

will25u said:

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BREAKING - China has just announced that they are willing to come to the table to negotiate after President Trump levied 125% tariffs at them earlier today.

— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) April 10, 2025

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The man has had 4 years to devise a plan…it's damn impressive…

will25u said:

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BREAKING - China has just announced that they are willing to come to the table to negotiate after President Trump levied 125% tariffs at them earlier today.

— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) April 10, 2025

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Any other sources? Scanning their posts they seem to be looking for clicks vs accuracy.

I agree. I don't see any other sources for this.

Chinese yuan falls to lowest level in 18 years

— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) April 10, 2025

Trump's Tariff Song (Hats off to whoever made this; this must have taken forever)🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/17VQlSI8G3

— Jayroo (@jayroo69) April 9, 2025

FireAg said:

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will25u said:

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BREAKING - China has just announced that they are willing to come to the table to negotiate after President Trump levied 125% tariffs at them earlier today.

— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) April 10, 2025

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The man has had 4 years to devise a plan…it's damn impressive…

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If this works out it's almost a good argument a president should sit one cycle out before running for a second term.

BREAKING: The European Union Commission is putting its “countermeasures” against U.S. tariffs on hold for 90 days.

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 10, 2025

will25u said:

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BREAKING: The European Union Commission is putting its “countermeasures” against U.S. tariffs on hold for 90 days.

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 10, 2025

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Of course they are. Why wouldn't they? They didn't pick this fight and would rather not have it.

TARIFFS: Meloni is set to defy Brussels next week, heading to the US to negotiate a trade deal on Italy’s terms, not the EU’s. pic.twitter.com/BjXIengvku

— @amuse (@amuse) April 10, 2025

Jeeper79 said:

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will25u said:

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BREAKING: The European Union Commission is putting its “countermeasures” against U.S. tariffs on hold for 90 days.

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 10, 2025

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Of course they are. Why wouldn't they? They didn't pick this fight and would rather not have it.

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They only slapped tariffs on $23B of steel and aluminum…. Their move yesterday didn't even move the needle…

The EU's move yesterday was to provide their governments with political cover, but it was symbolic at best…

I think even the Euros have figured out that our plan all along has been to isolate China economically while also exposing who have been their closest allies in trying to weaken the US…hey Canada! You got caught red-handed…

Quote:

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Imagine thinking that the new baseline of:

- 10% universal tariffs
- 25% auto tariffs
- 25% steel tariffs
- 25% tariffs on 60% of Canadian goods (with the USMCA covering the rest)
- 25% tariffs on 50% of Mexican goods (with the USMCA covering the rest)
- 125% China tariffs

was somehow a "screwup" rather than a deliberate strategy. If these had been the tariffs in place on April 2nd, people would have lost their minds!

Instead, he introduced those outrageous initial tariffs, which he pitched as leverage to achieve his desired outcome. When he later removed them, his starting point became the tariffs listed abovelevels that would have caused a panic if they'd been the opening move. And yet, the market thanked him for it!

Meanwhile, during that period, the Trump administration:

- Devalued the Yuan
- Left the Chinese economy in disarray (with Chinese sellers exiting Amazon)
- Got the GOP working on a Reconciliation Bill
- Secured Japan, Vietnam, Canada, and India, along with over 70 other countries, to negotiate new deals

Yeah, a total "screwup," right?

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Imagine thinking that the new baseline of:

- 10% universal tariffs
- 25% auto tariffs
- 25% steel tariffs
- 25% tariffs on 60% of Canadian goods (with the USMCA covering the rest)
- 25% tariffs on 50% of Mexican goods (with the USMCA covering the rest)
- 125% China… pic.twitter.com/1dNKPjtacN

— Rollo (@SportsRollo) April 10, 2025

He has also used DOGE to eliminate any funding of any programs/propaganda that would try to run a counter-narrative to derail his efforts internationally…

And him allowing all of the court cases trying to derail his efforts domestically to continue at their pace and not just "ignore" clearly asinine rulings have sucked up leftist funds from running other counter-ops to his agenda, while also keeping all of their lawyers occupied so that they can't attack his global agenda effectively…

It's been a very impressive strategy…

Are more Dems going to start rolling over?

BREAKING: Gretchen Whitmer just announced she supports President Trump’s tariffs.

Whoa.

"I understand the motivation behind the tariffs...We do need to make more stuff in America...We do need fair trade!"
pic.twitter.com/Dib1kER2ct

— Jack (@jackunheard) April 10, 2025

JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇨🇳 United States tariffs on China now totals 145%, White House says. pic.twitter.com/mIYwfEcBBi

— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) April 10, 2025

Market 2,000 points down

The Fall Guy said:

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Market 2,000 points down

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6th straight day of a 5% move

Looks like Trump is clearing the way for continued NVIDIA sales to China. Not sure I'm a fan of providing US developed assets to aid Chinese AI. Good for NVIDIA shareholders, however. Sort of wish he'd held the line.

https://www.investors.com/news/technology/nvidia-stock-overhang-removed-china-sales-cleared/

BoydCrowder13 said:

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The Fall Guy said:

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Market 2,000 points down

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6th straight day of a 5% move

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Totally normal, nothing to see there......

🎯🎯🎯 pic.twitter.com/PFZ8soUHY3

— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) April 10, 2025

with the GOP House now passing the "one big beautiful bill" along with the Senate...

not a good sign that the markets are tanking.

inflation down HUGE, more certainty in tax policy..

and the stock market falling 800 points.

make it make sense!

LMCane said:

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with the GOP House now passing the "one big beautiful bill" along with the Senate...

not a good sign that the markets are tanking.

inflation down HUGE, more certainty in tax policy..

and the stock market falling 800 points.

make it make sense!

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Today, I think traders were looking to turn a quick profit so as to have more hedge room to ride out more turbulence…

During today’s meeting to confirm the start of formal discussions on reciprocal trade with Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc of Vietnam, I emphasized the need for continued engagement and quick, demonstrable progress to resolve outstanding issues. pic.twitter.com/j3wd25l7sU

— Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) April 10, 2025

That is STEEP!

Duties now 120% on all products mailed from China.

Minimum tariff $100 per package, effective May 1st.

Minimum tariff $200 per package, effective June 1st.

— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) April 10, 2025

This is what he always does. He makes a plan. Waits to see how they react. When they react poorly, he holds back a little bit either doing nothing or making a counter offer or hold, then he lets them think about it and how worse off they'll be if they don't agree, then they come back and agree to what he wants.

It's businessman 101. It truly is the art of the deal.

You think they would've figured this out by now.

Then they get mad because what he's does actually ends up working and being better for the American people, but because they can't stand that they still try to put out lies and scare tactics to convince gullible liberals and many on this forum that what Trump has done is horrible. They can't stand that what he does works.

They have literally been complaining because of cutting government spending, tariffs that they once propose themselves and he fixed the immigration problem in two months.

Business Man >>> Politicians every time.

WINNING.

annie88 said:

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This is what he always does. He makes a plan. Waits to see how they react. When they react poorly, he holds back a little bit either doing nothing or making a counter offer or hold, then he lets them think about it and how worse off they'll be if they don't agree, then they come back and agree to what he wants.

It's businessman 101. It truly is the art of the deal.

You think they would've figured this out by now.

Then they get mad because what he's does actually ends up working and being better for the American people, but because they can't stand that they still try to put out lies and scare tactics to convince gullible liberals and many on this forum that what Trump has done is horrible. They can't stand that what he does works.

They have literally been complaining because of cutting government spending, tariffs that they once propose themselves and he fixed the immigration problem in two months.

Business Man >>> Politicians every time.

WINNING.

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Dems now have to be on the side of:

• Gang bangers and open borders
• Men competing and dressing in women's locker rooms
• Big Pharma
• Communist Chinese Party
• No cutting of government waste, fraud, and abuse

Good luck with that!!!

"China retaliated today by reducing the number of American films that can be shown there. What's your reaction to them now targeting cultural exports?"@POTUS: "I've heard of worse things." 🤣 pic.twitter.com/zpseCdDXEX

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 10, 2025

President Donald Trump is reportedly looking into possibly delisting Chinese public companies from US exchanges, per Fox News

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) April 10, 2025