Jesse Norman

Politics trumps trade

Was the USA ever really in favour of free trade?

issue 29 September 2018

‘What the hell is going on?’ That anxious wail of economic incomprehension has been heard ever since President Trump decided last January to impose tens of billions of dollars of tariffs on China and other countries, including Canada, Mexico and the member states of the EU.

The wail went up another octave last week as the White House announced a further $200 billion in tariffs.

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