Of economic dilettantism, sleeping politicians and media - Trump instrumentalizes trade weapons at will

Donald Trump has once again shaken the foundations of world trade. Starting August 7, punitive tariffs will come into effect in the United States that are unprecedented in their severity for decades: up to 41 percent surcharge on imports from 68 countries and - officially - also on the European Union. The measure not only affects traditional rivals such as China or India but also puts long-standing partners under general suspicion. For the markets, this means a new phase of uncertainty, and for transatlantic relations, a calculated provocation. Trump presents the move as a necessary defense of American interests. In his speeches, he stages himself as the last protector of domestic industry, finally standing up against "exploitation" and "unfair trade practices." But behind the facade of populist performance lies a strategy that has less to do with national protection and more with maximum pressure. Trump forces not only competitors but also allies into a permanent state of uncertainty - thereby maintaining political control over any possible concession.

What is almost completely ignored in the German media is the actual logic behind Trump's tariff policy. Starting August 7, the new punitive tariffs are to apply to 68 countries and the European Union - formally up to 41 percent. At first glance, it seems absurd that the EU is on this list, given that a 15% agreement exists. But this is exactly where Trump's strategic trick lies: the European Union is listed in the Executive Order so that the tariffs are legally and politically effective. The separate agreement only reduces the burden to 15%, but it does not exempt the EU. In other words, the new punitive tariffs will also be applied to European goods, just in a mitigated form. The crucial point, which most German media hardly explain - or no longer want to explain - is the associated uncertainty. Because Trump can raise the 15% again at any time if he thinks the EU is not cooperating enough. This very threat potential is intentional: markets, companies and governments are supposed to be under permanent pressure. That major German newsrooms either do not understand this mechanism or remain silent out of pure convenience is an admission of failure. Media that only print headlines without enlightening their readers have long since lost their mission - and deliver a distorted picture of reality that reinforces political theater rather than exposing it. For the EU, the situation is dangerous. Officially, Brussels can proclaim the success of a "deal" that caps punitive tariffs at 15% and thus apparently averts damage to the internal market. But behind the scenes it is clear: the foundation of this agreement is fragile. The Commission must constantly prove that it is meeting Trump's conditions - a game in which the stakes rise daily and the rules can change at any time. European trade diplomats are already whispering that the threat of a return to 41% hangs like a sword of Damocles over all supply chains. Trump's actions once again show that classic reliability in the transatlantic relationship is history. His tariff roulette is less economic policy than a show of force. Anyone in Europe who believes that yesterday's agreements can still provide security is gravely mistaken. The reality is harsher: as long as Trump sits in the White House, the EU lives in a constant state of siege - and anyone who does not understand this mechanism will be caught off guard by the next round of tariffs. Donald Trump has done it again.

With the signature of a new Executive Order, the US president tore apart global trade peace a little further late Thursday evening. Starting August 7, new punitive tariffs of up to 41 percent are to apply to 68 countries and, as already described, also to the European Union. A historic turning point that not only makes the markets tremble but also shakes the foundations of an international order that has grown over decades. While Trump proclaims in capital letters on his social media platform that the world must now play by his rules, a pattern emerges of self-importance, impulsive exercise of power, and dangerous disregard for the global community whose cooperation the US needs more urgently than ever.

The announcement of these tariffs is not an isolated step but the temporary peak of months of escalation. In the spring, Trump threatened tariffs of up to 50 percent on almost 60 countries with his so-called "Liberation Day," only to postpone the deadline again and again. However, the new round of tariffs is to become a reality starting August 7, after the White House was able to present some agreements at the last minute - mostly mere declarations of intent that offer neither substance nor long-term reliability. Even close allies such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan now face higher tariffs than before Trump's presidency. Canada, of all countries - the neighbor and partner in countless economic and security issues - is being punished with a 35 percent tariff because Trump accuses Ottawa of lacking cooperation in combating drug trafficking. The justification is as thin as it is arbitrary and reveals above all one thing: this president instrumentalizes trade weapons at will, without regard for political ties or economic reality.

The consequences are already being felt. Wall Street reacted Friday morning with significant losses. The Dow Jones fell by almost 600 points, government bond yields dropped, and the US dollar lost value against the yen. At the same time, inflation data rose, while employment figures painted a bleak picture: only 73,000 new jobs in the past month, a slump that becomes even more dramatic after a massive revision of the May and June data. Industry in particular is losing jobs - precisely the backbone that Trump actually wanted to strengthen with his punitive tariffs. In truth, American companies and consumers bear the lion's share of the costs, as economists have predicted for years. Goldman Sachs estimates that only 20 percent of the tariffs are absorbed by foreign exporters, while 80 percent ultimately remain in the US. Trump's actions are more than economic dilettantism - they are an attack on the logic of international cooperation. For decades, the United States had maintained alliances and trade networks that guaranteed not only its own economic strength but also the stability of the world economy. With one stroke of the pen, Trump turns this structure upside down, with no discernible plan for how the resulting tensions are to be resolved. China, the most important rival and at the same time trade partner number one, now faces an uncertain future. The talks in Stockholm remained fruitless, and the White House leaves open whether the particularly painful China tariffs will be suspended again on August 12. The same pattern is evident towards Europe: a mix of threats, hasty deals and sudden punitive measures that destroy all predictability. While the world holds its breath, Trump goes even further and publicly attacks the US Federal Reserve. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is a "TOTAL LOSER," he wrote on Truth Social, and he openly threatened to use the power of the Fed governors to oust Powell if he does not cut interest rates. This crosses a red line that has so far been respected even in times of greatest economic crises: the independence of the central bank. It is a picture of irresponsibility that goes far beyond the economic figures. Here acts a president who twists the instruments of power at will, with no regard for institutions, alliances, or the long-term credibility of his country.

For the international community, this policy is a toxic signal. Partner countries that painstakingly negotiated compromises now find themselves exposed by an erratic ally. States that strive to save their own exports now do so knowing that any agreement is only valid as long as Trump's mood allows it. This climate of uncertainty is a poison that slowly seeps into global supply chains, international financial markets and political trust. Even countries that were able to negotiate short-term relief now know: the next tweet, the next mood, the next ultimatum can destroy everything. Trump's tariff policy is the policy of a ruler without a compass - playing with matches in a world already marked by drought. It is a mixture of domestic populism, personal vanity and geopolitical shortsightedness that isolates the US and undermines the global order. The long-term costs will be far higher than any short-term revenue from punitive tariffs: lost trust, damaged alliances, higher prices, weaker markets. The global community that Trump so casually offends is the same one that America needs for stability, security and prosperity. Yet this president acts as if he can rule alone on a field of rubble - blind to the lessons of history, deaf to the voices of reason, and unable to recognize the network of obligations and opportunities that holds the modern world together.

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