1/28/2025–|Last update: 1/28/202503:17 PM (Mecca time)
A report published by the Washington Post said that US President Donald Trump has intensified the use of customs tariffs and economic sanctions to achieve goals that are in American interests, targeting allies and opponents alike, which could have counterproductive results, according to the newspaper.
Trump’s “hostile” strategy, White House correspondent of the House of Economic Affairs, Jeff Stein, and White House correspondent, Kat Zakrzezky, stems from his belief that other countries are using the United States, and they have to use their economic power to reflect this trend.
The report comes in the context of the President’s announcement of major economic sanctions, in the first week of his second term, against Mexico, Canada, Denmark, Colombia, Russia and China, in “an attempt to force them to do what he wants” in issues that include trade, irregular migration and geopolitical disputes, as well as promoting dominance The dollar globally.
Targeted
Former US Secretary of State John Kererr confirmed to the newspaper that the Trump strategy to employ all economic pressure, or economic “weapons”, is a shift in US foreign policy, considering the president’s approach contrary to previous administrations that were “more selective and cautious in achieving its strategic goals.”
The list of targeted countries includes:
- Mexico and CanadaTrump threatened to impose customs duties by 25% on the two countries, unless they lead to irregular migration and fentian trade.
- ColombiaTrump threatened to impose customs duties and sanctions, prompting her to agree to receive migrants from the United States.
- ChinaTrump threatened to impose 10% customs duties on all imports.
- RussiaTrump threatened her with “taxes, tariffs and sanctions” unless the war in Ukraine ends.
- DenmarkTrump threatened to impose customs duties unless she waived its control over Greenland.
Trump also threatened to impose 100% customs definitions on the countries of the Brexes Group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) if they adopt alternatives to the US dollar, and renewed the sanctions against the International Criminal Court after the abolition of former President Joe Biden’s previous sanctions.
Repercussions
The report conveyed expert warnings that “excessive” use customs sanctions and definitions to alienate allies, motivate countries to create alternative financial systems on the dollar, and undermine the influence of the American economist.
Experts emphasized that these measures, which Trump seems serious about, can push affected countries such as Canada, Mexico and Colombia towards the opponents of the United States – such as China – to avoid relying on the US financial system.
At the local level, the report indicated to economic warnings that large -scale customs definitions can lead to high prices and economic inflation, especially since Canada, Mexico and China, which are from the target countries, are the 3 largest commercial partners for the United States, and these countries export more than a billion dollars to the states United every year.
The newspaper quoted experts that Washington’s use of “strict” economic measures may lead to unintended consequences, including escalation of global conflicts and destabilizing the American economy and violent reactions from the commercial partners.
In conclusion, the report indicated that the success of the Trump strategy or not will depend on whether the economic pressure will lead to the desired results without causing irreparable harm to international relations or the global economy.
