Australia’s chances of escaping America’s global steel and aluminium tariffs appear all but extinguished, with the US president reconfirming his commitment to a comprehensive tariff regime he argues will be “the greatest thing we’ve ever done as a country”.

“We’re going to take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we’re going to become so rich, you’re not going to know where to spend all that money,” Donald Trump told reporters on board Air Force One flying from Florida to Washington DC.

“We’re basically going to take back the money – a lot of the money that we’ve given away over many decades.”

  • Xanthobilly@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    My theory is he fully understands tariffs, but it’s a convenient way to siphon money off from Americans into a coffer he can steal that doesn’t require the IRS.

    • Arghblarg@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      … and, he understands that every new tariff threat tanks the US stock market briefly, so he & his masters can sell first, ‘buy the dip’ a day or so later and make quick profits as the market recovers. Blatant manipulation.

      • Tavi@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 day ago

        … up until it stops being a “dip”. I don’t think these people care about having more. I think they want everyone else to have less.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      it is a grift, he knows his supporters are pretty stupid, that he has stated in the past. and he will probably be selling them something down the line.

      • zephorah@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        He’s never stopped. Bibles, those weird digital fantasy representations of himself, coins…

        I love browsing estate auctions. Maybe that makes me a voyeur of sorts, either way, the amount of Trump coins that show up, consistently, since 2021 or so shows how much they’re buying.

        • Upgrayedd1776@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          that sounds kinda cool actually, i just got into thrift shopping. Any good resources for getting started with estate auctions, and do you ever find anything worth the effort? Im a minimalist and just sort of furnishing my place or trading up

    • foggenbooty@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Yup. And they’re something he controlls, so when a company or country wants to get an exemption to his tarrifs so they can be more competitive they need to grovel.

      It’s an extortion racket, mixed with a poor tax, mixed with insider trading. Honestly as far as Trump grifts go, this one is pretty impressive. Just don’t know how long he’ll get away with it before his followers start to feel the pain.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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      1 day ago

      I actually think I know how he plans on “legally” stealing the money for himself too.

      Remember that sovereign wealth fund? I would bet dollars to donuts that he is going to funnel the tariff money into that. Then he uses that money to buy crypto, which pumps up the whole market including his coin. Then they sell off some of there crypto assets, rinse and repeat.