Trump's Trade Policies

March 19, 2025

key points from this story:

• Trump is unpredictable in trade policies.
• He imposes tariffs frequently.
• Trump reacts poorly to counter-tariffs.
• American farmers expect compensation.
• Trump's policies harm farm workers.
• Global instability is rising.

It is highly likely, that while wishing it was otherwise, ag writers will be focused on the yo-yo politics which is the norm from U.S. president Donald Trump. The man is fickle at best, and perhaps totally clueless in terms of world trade realities, but either way he is disruptive to trade and dangerous to world stability.

At present he comes off as a blustering bully, who slaps tariffs on willy nilly assuming the US is bulletproof, or more likely not caring what damage he might cause. When other countries don’t simply capitulate by bending to his will and respond with tariffs of their own, Trump reacts like a petulant child having temper tantrums with blistering verbal condemnations at the audacity of fighting back, and threatening more ridiculous tariffs. Then, often within hours he seems to soften his stance leaving his threats hanging.