Trump found a way to "gracefully admit defeat" and asked the world to remember April 10th.
On April 9th, the Sino-US tariff war escalated again. After China announced a 50% counter-tariff on US goods, Trump experienced an emotional rollercoaster from confusion to rage within just a few hours.
He posted seven short messages on his self-created "truthful" social platform to calm the public: "Stay calm! Everything will be fine, America will be stronger than ever!"
However, when midnight struck, he could no longer contain his anxiety. At 1:00 AM Beijing time on April 10th, Trump announced that the tariff on Chinese goods would increase to 125%, while suspending additional tariffs on another 75 countries (retaining only 10%) for a period of 90 days.
This series of operations seemed tough but actually exposed the fact that Trump had run out of options.
[Stock Market Jubilation: Trump's "Surrender Signal"]
As soon as the news of Trump's suspension of tariffs on other countries was released, the US stock market went wild. In just 10 minutes, the NASDAQ index rose by 9%, the S&P 500 index increased by over 7%, and the total market value of the US stock market instantly recovered $4 trillion.
However, this enthusiasm was not due to market confidence in the effectiveness of Trump's policies, but rather because he essentially chose to "temporarily surrender." This was not so much a victory cheer as it was a sigh of relief from the capital markets over his decision to abandon a full-scale trade war.
Satirically, Trump previously boasted about imposing high tariffs on more than 60 countries worldwide and threatened that "those who retaliate will face double retaliation," attempting to project an image of fearlessness.
However, when faced with China's equivalent counterattack, he quickly retreated, focusing his fire solely on China while sparing other nations.
This behavior not only exposed his strategic flaws but also revealed to the international community that his so-called "maximum pressure" was mere bluster.
[Trump's Predicament: Why Has He Run Out of Cards?]
Raising tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% seemed like a continuation of maximum pressure, but in reality, it was a desperate move by a man running out of options.
It should be noted that he had already imposed a 104% tariff on Chinese goods, which had already caused great suffering to many companies dependent on the Chinese supply chain.
Further increasing the tariff to 125% not only fails to solve the problem at its root but also further tears apart the foundation of the US economy.
The following points can explain why Trump has陷入 a dead end: First, the irreversible trend of the global situation.
Despite Trump's attempt to force manufacturing back to the US through tariffs, globalization has long become an irreversible trend.
High social costs and employee expenses in the US mean that it is impossible for the country to industrialize again.
In recent years, China has actively promoted the "dual circulation" development strategy, expanding domestic demand markets, and exploring new markets (such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East).
Even if exports to the US are obstructed, China can alleviate the impact through diversified layouts. Many Chinese companies have built factories in Vietnam and Mexico to avoid tariff barriers.
This means that even if Trump imposes higher tariffs on Chinese goods, it cannot stop emerging economies from continuing to export goods to the US.
Finally, the most absurd point is that Trump's tariff policy is giving rise to a brand-new underground smuggling industry.
Due to excessively high tariffs, many merchants choose to smuggle Chinese goods through places like Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia before shipping them to the US.
The US imports more than $500 billion worth of Chinese goods annually, with 20% of that amount exceeding $100 billion.
This market and its profits, to avoid high tariffs, will inevitably give rise to a massive underground smuggling trade market.
Some joked that in the future, we might see US naval vessels and aircraft directly involved in smuggling activities targeting the US.
[Promoting His Own Stocks: President or Businessman?]
In this farce, the most shocking scene was Trump taking advantage of the chaos to promote his own company's stocks. He publicly stated on social media: "This is the perfect time to buy Trump Media Technology!"
This blatant commercial behavior not only violates the professional ethics expected of a US president but also raises questions about whether he truly cares about national interests or merely sees the presidency as a tool for personal wealth accumulation.
In fact, such behavior is not unprecedented. During his 2016 campaign, Trump frequently used his brand for marketing activities and even promoted his golf courses and resorts while serving as president.
Now, he is once again using the heat of the trade war to promote stocks, undoubtedly aiming to capitalize on panic emotions for personal gain. It must be said that this businessman-turned-president has never forgotten his old profession—a frequent bankrupt businessman.
[Conclusion: Trump's "Paper Tiger" Nature]
Ultimately, Trump's tariff policies are nothing more than a self-destructive farce. He lacks the ability to reshape the US economy and cannot shake China's core interests.
Instead, each escalation feels like a cornered beast's final struggle, ultimately sinking him deeper into the mud.
As netizens jokingly put it, Trump lacks imagination—he didn't dare to shout out numbers like "200%." Perhaps deep down, he knows that this trade war will ultimately end in failure.
Now, all he can do is continue to numb the public with lies and empty words while quietly promoting his own stocks to accumulate capital for his family.
So, remember this day—April 10th. As the instigator of this round of global indiscriminate tariff disputes, Trump, who ran out of options, could only "admit defeat" in a relatively dignified manner before the situation worsened and slipped out of his control.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7491398268941976090/
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