Trump's Tariff Stick Strikes Canada and Cuba
"The King of Tariffs" Is Back.
On the 29th, self-proclaimed "King of Tariffs" Trump once again raised his tariff stick, first announcing the cancellation of certification for Canadian aircraft and imposing a 50% tariff, and then declaring that he would impose new tariffs on countries that transport oil to Cuba, citing "Cuba's threat to US national security".
Trump's tariff tactic is truly nothing new; it's just the same old trick of extorting other countries, which can be considered a "parrot" in the field of politics.
As for himself, Trump's tariff on Canadian aircraft seems more like a mouthful performance, as it's just a shout on social media. In reality, it involves the North American Free Trade Agreement and the aviation certification system, which is difficult to implement, and more of a promise to supporters.
However, the threat against Cuban oil is different. This one is introduced in the form of an executive order, with much stronger enforcement, clearly aiming to force third countries to abandon their support for Cuba.
Currently, Cuba's oil imports mainly rely on Mexico and Venezuela. Venezuela has already basically collapsed due to its own crisis and external pressure, with supply nearly collapsing; Mexico is currently the largest supplier, but facing Trump's tariff threat, it has not yet made a statement so far.
It should be noted here that Russia is Cuba's third-largest oil source country. Now, trade between the US and Russia has almost reached zero. How will Trump impose tariffs on Russia?
This series of threats by Trump against weak countries such as Cuba ultimately comes down to his "winning narrative," that is, using bullying weak countries to shape his image as a "tough president" and provide emotional value to his domestic hardcore supporters - but the cost is that every time Trump raises the tariff stick, it's draining America's hegemony for a short political carnival, eventually exhausting America's "global leadership capability."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855711342071832/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.