China prepares tariffs aimed to hurt states that helped elect Trump
As President Trump prepares to announce Thursday his plans to impose at least $30 billion in tariffs against China, countertariffs are being drafted overseas to specifically hurt states that helped buoy the president to his win in 2016, The Wall Street Journal reports. Focusing on the Farm Belt, China's tariffs could target American soybean, sorghum, and live hog exports, with Chinese companies preparing to turn to Brazil, Argentina, and Poland to meet their supply needs.
"The challenge for any president in tariffs is to ensure that ultimately you don't punish Americans for China's misbehavior," explained Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas).
Trump's tariff push comes in response to complaints by American companies that say Chinese companies force them into partnerships in order to obtain their technology, and that Chinese companies receive government money to steal tech secrets. The tariffs would additionally serve as retaliation for Chinese cyber attacks. CNN concluded: "The [Trump] administration's diagnosis is correct, economists say. The remedy is where people differ."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
American farmers, for one, are sounding the alarm: "Bottom line, we're terrified," Zaner Group market strategist Brian Grossman, a former North Dakota farmer, told The Wall Street Journal. "It's not going to be good for the American farmer."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Film reviews: ‘The Testament of Ann Lee,’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ and ‘Young Mothers’Feature A full-immersion portrait of the Shakers’ founder, a zombie virus brings out the best and worst in the human survivors, and pregnancy tests the resolve of four Belgian teenagers
-
Political cartoons for January 25Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a hot economy, A.I. wisdom, and more
-
Le Pen back in the dock: the trial that’s shaking FranceIn the Spotlight Appealing her four-year conviction for embezzlement, the Rassemblement National leader faces an uncertain political future, whatever the result
-
What will the US economy look like in 2026?Today’s Big Question Wall Street is bullish, but uncertain
-
Tariffs have American whiskey distillers on the rocksIn the Spotlight Jim Beam is the latest brand to feel the pain
-
TikTok secures deal to remain in USSpeed Read ByteDance will form a US version of the popular video-sharing platform
-
Unemployment rate ticks up amid fall job lossesSpeed Read Data released by the Commerce Department indicates ‘one of the weakest American labor markets in years’
-
Coffee jittersFeature The price of America’s favorite stimulant is soaring—and not just because of tariffs
-
What a rising gold price says about the global economyThe Explainer Institutions, central banks and speculators drive record surge amid ‘loss of trust’ in bond markets and US dollar
-
US mints final penny after 232-year runSpeed Read Production of the one-cent coin has ended
-
Warner Bros. explores sale amid Paramount bidsSpeed Read The media giant, home to HBO and DC Studios, has received interest from multiple buying parties
