The conservative Wall Street Journal is once again none-too-happy with President Donald Trump, as the 47th president prepares to "fire his first tariff salvo on Saturday."
The Journal rebuked the president Friday afternoon for his plan to hit Mexico and Canada — U.S. allies, not adversaries — with a 25% border tax. Meanwhile, China — an adversary — will see 10%.
"This reminds us of the old Bernard Lewis joke that it’s risky to be America’s enemy but it can be fatal to be its friend," the Journal quipped.
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The Journal added, "Leaving China aside, Mr. Trump’s justification for this economic assault on the neighbors makes no sense."
Trump has said he wants the countries to do more to prevent illegal drugs from pouring over the border into the United States.
But, the board noted, that has happened for decades — and will keep happening as long as drug users use drugs.
"Drugs may be an excuse since Mr. Trump has made clear he likes tariffs for their own sake," the board suggested.
The board said Trump's insistence the country has everything it needs on its own soil is called "autarky" — "and it isn’t the world we live in, or one that we should want to live in, as Mr. Trump may soon find out."
The board cited the auto industry as a prime example of where American automakers would be significantly less competitive without international trade. Additionally, tariffs will "cause mayhem" in trade on farm goods, the Journal argued, noting Mexico's food exports make up nearly a quarter of U.S. agricultural imports — Mexico supplies about 90% of avocados in the U.S. — and Canada accounts for a fifth.
"None of this is supposed to happen under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that Mr. Trump negotiated and signed in his first term, the Journal concluded. "The U.S. willingness to ignore its treaty obligations, even with friends, won’t make other countries eager to do deals. Maybe Mr. Trump will claim victory and pull back if he wins some token concessions. But if a North American trade war persists, it will qualify as one of the dumbest in history."