The One Way Trump's Tariffs Might Make Sense

With Trump's announcement of massive tariffs, various commentators are looking into why this could be a part of a bigger plan to devalue the dollar. In this video, we're taking a look at this ambitious plan and whether it could actually happen.

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Sources
Stephen Miran paper on “A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System”

Reuters on distribution of Treasury ownership

Data on US deficits

Bessent comments on long-dated “military bonds”

Data on latest debt

Odd Lots podcast on Mar a Lago Accord

00:00 - Introduction
01:31 - America's Debt Problem
03:43 - The Mar-a-Lago Accord
07:11 - Sponsored Content

[oriontigley]

When you play Checkers so bad that people start thinking you're playing chess.

[QuigleyMarc]

Trump economic policies could certainly lead to significant economic consequences for the U.S, I’m really concerned about how the current economic crisis and rising inflation have really taken a toll on my portfolio. It's becoming quite worrisome, especially at my age.

[Noepascal-bt]

Trump's policies, including tax cuts and deregulation, were seen as positive for the financial sector, fueling a strong market rally. His tariffs, particularly on China, aimed to protect U.S. companies but also created some market volatility. If you're considering investing over $300K, it's important to factor in how these policies could affect the broader market, especially in terms of trade impacts and financial sector performance.

[Waldo-]

Inflation is soon over the roof with the new Tariff from Trump, my $225K savings account cannot handle the increased expenses. A lot of people are in similar shoes, and want real solutions.

[DonaldMark-nese]

Trump's tariffs may boost some U.S. industries by raising import costs but could hurt companies reliant on foreign materials and trigger retaliatory measures, harming exporters. The resulting trade uncertainty and higher costs may cause market volatility, with mixed effects on U.S. stocks overall.

[weamibrahim]

He slapped us Syrians with a 10%. We don't even export to the US wth

[lilpeach]

Step 1. Break trust in American security umbrella
Step 2. Demand allies pay your debt because of the security umbrella
Step 3. ???
Step 4. Profit!

[AreEia]

Even if this was "the plan", it seems to be based on an inflated self persception on both the US's importance and the willingness of other countries to go along with it. I think they are overplaying their hand and not understanding how fed up much of the world is with US hegemony, and how much influence/good will the actually US has lost.

[Blub_]

The risk he took was calculated

Sadly he can't do math.

[kallehalvarsson]

It's so clear that no thought was put into these tariffs. For example: Madagascar produces 80% of the world's vanilla, and exports lots of it to the US, obviously resulting in a trade imbalance. For this, they ended up getting a 47% tariff. What is the end goal with this? It's not like you can start growing vanilla in Ohio. Americans will just have to pay more for it.

[arian]

Ahh, the good old "Pay tribute or perish" tactic.

[starseeker]

Everyone is so confused TLDR just tries to find logic where there is none

[KrzysztofBob]

Just a reminder that 30 years ago Japan agreed to similar America’s ”deal” … they’re yet to recover from it.

[DawnofInfo]

It is funny that there are so many channels trying to explain the shitshow but Trump himself cannot explain his "genius" plan?

[AzathothRoyal]

"w-w-well uhh well maybe this isn't totally moronic because, uh, the plaza accord was sort of like this?"
THE PLAZA ACCORD DIDN'T EVEN WORK, WE'RE JUST SCREWED

[jyfuklyvfkj]

I really doubt he has any plan other than staying in power and out of prison

[realscottsummers]

I too saw Money & Macro's video yesterday 😂

[NiallCarroll]

TLDR: Q: Is Trump doing something smart? A: Probably not.

[into-the-lions-mouth]

So, the great scheme depends on the whole world playing along, against their interests, after thoroughly pissing them off. "The Great Negotiator".

[Gerald-Oxfordian]

I'm not buying it. It is the largest increase in tariffs since the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1933. That didn't go well. It deepened and lengthened the Great Depression. And it's also the largest tax increase in US history, because the people who really pay the tariffs are the importers and their customers, not the exporting countries. Trade wars NEVER end well. And when the trade war is explained by a long list of blatant lies by the person who started it, it is so much worse. But his cult will lap it up and ask for more.