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Trump pushes aides to go bigger on tariffs as key deadline nears
The Washington Post ^ | 6:00 a.m. EDT March 29, 2025 | Jeff Stein and Theodoric Meyer

Posted on 03/29/2025 9:49:28 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

President Donald Trump is pushing senior advisers to go bigger on tariff policy as they prepare for what the White House has called “Liberation Day,” the April 2 date he has set for a major escalation in his global trade war, four people familiar with the matter said.

Although many of his allies on Wall Street and Capitol Hill have urged the White House to take a more conciliatory approach, Trump has continued to press for aggressive measures to fundamentally transform the U.S. economy, the people said.

Trump’s advisers are in intensive deliberations about the exact scope of the import duties to be imposed, which officials have described as affecting trillions of dollars worth of trade.

The option viewed as most likely, publicly outlined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this month, would set tariffs on products from the 15 percent of countries the administration deems the worst U.S. trading partners, which account for almost 90 percent of imports. Trump has also moved forward with other tariffs that apply to imports from every country, but only on specific sectors. Trump applied 25 percent tariffs to all automobile imports on Wednesday and has suggested similar measures for the pharmaceutical and lumber industries, among others.

These proposals have led to a drop in the stock market and, economists say, raised the risks of a U.S. recession.

But Trump continues to muse to advisers that his administration should continue to escalate the trade measures and has in recent days revived the idea of a universal tariff that would apply to most imports, regardless of their country of origin, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private discussions.

In public and private, the president has said tariffs represent a win-win that will bring manufacturing jobs back...


(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 03/29/2025 9:49:28 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

2 posted on 03/29/2025 9:55:09 AM PDT by Theoria
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Cut the deficit, pay down the debt.


3 posted on 03/29/2025 9:57:10 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“These proposals have led to a drop in the stock market and, economists say, raised the risks of a U.S. recession.”

*************

Unfortunately that is true.

Dow off its recent high by about 7%; S&P down about 9%.

A little stressful for those with 401k’s and need to take out periodic withdrawals. If the market falls further it could reach a point where a negative wealth effect kicks in so Team Trump needs to solidify its tariff strategy, the sooner the better.


4 posted on 03/29/2025 9:59:45 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Starboard

Ditto.

Trump wants lower interest rates.

Fed refuses so Trump mutters “tariffs” every week.

I’m torn between my country and my portfolio.

As a boomer, I ask myself if young people don’t care about their future why should I?


5 posted on 03/29/2025 10:12:04 AM PDT by NoLibZone (Scary that a party can "run" a candidate that doesn't feel any need to campaign.)
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To: Paladin2

Pay down the debt with tariffs and with the rejuvenation of our domestic industry tariffs will bring.


6 posted on 03/29/2025 10:14:36 AM PDT by JayGalt (Fight! Fight! Fight!)
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To: NoLibZone

The market works on a 90 day horizon. Market swings are part of life & big players manipulate them for political reasons and personal gain by buying the dips. The entrenched players want to derail Trump & one way is to make everything seem dire.
There is not much benefit to watching the market for the next few months. If you are a long term investor have faith; the market will be back in a month, 6 months, a year. Due to doge & Trump it will be better and on a more sound footing then it has been in decades.


7 posted on 03/29/2025 10:18:36 AM PDT by JayGalt (Fight! Fight! Fight!)
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To: JayGalt

Yes, because auto makers will flock here to pay 200k in salary and benefits for unskilledd labor :)

MANY people will panic and get out of the market because the nasdaq is coming down so fast and hard because the REAL FUTURE of America...technology..is being wrecked by a tariff war that made more sense in the 1800s.

I hope Trump knows what he’s doing.


8 posted on 03/29/2025 10:35:55 AM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: dp0622

The proof is in the pudding. Auto makers are already lining up to build factories here & expand factories they have here already.
People fleeing the market out of fear is what big investors live for. They buy the dip. Investing in the market is a fools game if you don’t understand volatility and if you invest money you need to live on in the next 6mo-yr.

Hyundai Motor Group announced a significant investment of $21 billion in the United States from 2025 to 2028.
https://www.evengineeringonline.com/major-us-investment-to-support-automotive-manufacturing/

Stellantis announced a $5 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing network — including re-opening an Illinois manufacturing plant — as it pledges to increase domestic vehicle production.
Volkswagen is considering shifting production of the high-end Audi and Porsche brands to the U.S.
Honda is expected to produce its next-generation Civic hybrid model in Indiana.
Nissan is considering moving production from Mexico to the U.S.
Rolls-Royce is expected to “ramp up” production in the U.S. by hiring more American workers and expand its U.S.-based operations.
Volvo is considering expanding its U.S.-based output.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/more-investment-more-jobs-and-more-money-in-americans-pockets/


9 posted on 03/29/2025 10:47:28 AM PDT by JayGalt (Fight! Fight! Fight!)
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To: All

besides tariffs increasing federal revenue, i wonder if trump has a big play up his sleeve, such as a plan to eliminate the federal income tax entirely and along with it the (hated) irs.

eliminating the fed income tax would serve to counteract inflation at least somewhat. it could thus take the wind out of the sails of what currently seems to be the democrats’ primary argument against tariffs.


10 posted on 03/29/2025 9:15:19 PM PDT by SteveH
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

11 posted on 03/29/2025 9:51:25 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv
The markets were stagnant for most of the 1950s, but the markets go up and down, have corrections and booms and yet, people get upset on a daily basis or overjoyed on a short high. And most either forget or do not know the history.

Unless one needs the money immediately, for some reason or another and needs to sell a portion of their portfolio, or lives on some portion of their portfolios, it is really should NOT be a daily concern, where markets are.

Unless one is into INSIDER TRADING ( illegal but hardly ever prosecuted ), or a "DAY TRADER", you're in it for the long haul.

12 posted on 03/29/2025 10:02:35 PM PDT by nopardons
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