A.G. Gancarski
There’s no daylight between gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and President Donald Trump on the game of brinkmanship the White House is playing on global trade.
“We’re going to continue to go down the line with President Trump here,” the Naples Republican said on the Fox Business Network’s “Varney and Co.” regarding Trump’s tariff regime.
“Everybody knows that China not only has cheated in any trade negotiation that’s ever actually any deal that’s ever occurred, but they also cheat when it comes to actually going through the proper channels on how trade is supposed to be handled. For far too long they’ve taken advantage of sweetheart deals given by previous administrations and other countries in the world. President Trump is saying, simply, we’re not playing that game anymore.”
Donalds, a Naples Republican endorsed by Trump in the 2026 Governor’s race, believes Trump and his team are “doing a great job” in pushing China into a response that creates “a balanced playing field when it comes to trade internationally.
“China has to actually come to the table, not continue to ratchet up tariffs,” Donalds said.
Indeed, tariffs are high on both sides. China imposed an 84% duty on American imports, while the U.S. is charging a 104% surcharge on goods from the Asian power.
Donalds also enthused about the European Union’s willingness to make a deal, saying it didn’t sound like they were drawing a “hard line” but wanted to “come to the table and negotiate.”
Trump has imposed 20% tariffs on EU imports and a 25% surcharge on automobile imports. Many U.S. goods are impracticable for Europe, compounding the problem. Domestic food does not meet global standards, and America’s famously oversized trucks and SUVs are too big for European roads.
POLITICO reports that the EU is looking to phase in countermeasures, even as the bloc considers removing industrial tariffs on American goods.
13 comments
Michael K
April 9, 2025 at 11:07 am
The only line Trump is taking the US is down the toilet.
Donalds is just another empty suit with fealty to a demagogue, with no concern for the people and the Constitution he is supposed to represent.
Peachy
April 9, 2025 at 11:21 am
The S&P lost 19% back in 2022. You didn’t complain then.
JD
April 9, 2025 at 11:32 am
So either you’re stalking Michael K’s comment history or you’re just making things up to push a narrative, either way, it reeks of propaganda. Also, let’s not pretend the 2022 market drop (amid a global pandemic recovery and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) is the same as the current decline under Trump’s direct leadership. One was driven by global chaos, the other by our own domestic leadership recklessness.
Peachy
April 9, 2025 at 11:50 am
Not stalking. Maybe you are. The S&P 500 still lost 19%, its biggest drop since 2008. Spin as you like. If this tariff thing doesn’t work I will certainly acknowledge it. Unlike you Demos that never own up to your mistakes, like Joe is mentally sharp, and there is no problem at the Southern Border among others.
JD
April 9, 2025 at 11:58 am
Referencing someone’s posts from three years ago or claiming they didn’t post is either stalking or wild speculation. Neither is a good look.
And let’s not pretend this is the same situation. You’re comparing apples to kumquats. The 2022 drop came from global chaos, a pandemic and a war Putin started. Biden didn’t goad Russia into anything. Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs are a direct policy decision, and they’re tanking the market. That’s on him.
So if you can’t acknowledge the difference, don’t deflect. This is Trump’s doing. Own it.
And with the way you’re spinning this, are you sure you’re not moonlighting for a right-wing PR firm?
Peachy
April 9, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Yes the market is down from a policy decision. I get that. Putin invaded Ukraine while Joe was in office and had no fear / respect for him. Can you acknowledge that? Now there are videos out there of Demos advocating for tariffs years ago and did nothing about it. Trump is doing something about it and in typical Demo fashion now those prominent Democrats are against what Trump is doing. Hypocrisy 101.
JD
April 9, 2025 at 12:31 pm
You’re right that the market is down from a policy decision and that decision is a blunt-force tariff strategy that’s hitting Americans harder than it’s hurting China.
As for Putin invading while Biden was in office: sure, but let’s not rewrite history. Russia annexed Crimea under Obama, invaded Georgia under Bush, and continued aggressive behavior under Trump. Putin acts in Russia’s interest, not based on who’s in the White House. If he “feared” Trump, it didn’t stop him from interfering in U.S. elections or expanding cyberattacks.
And about those “videos”, yes, some Democrats supported targeted tariffs, especially against Chinese steel dumping. That was a surgical approach to a specific problem: a state-subsidized industry flooding our market to kill U.S. production. What Trump is doing now is more like using a battle axe where a scalpel was needed. It’s broad, retaliatory, and reckless – and we’re the ones bleeding.
Calling out bad strategy isn’t hypocrisy. It’s called learning from the results. If a Democrat did this and tanked the market, you’d be the first to scream about it. So let’s skip the whataboutism and focus on the mess that’s unfolding now in real time from Trump’s own decisions.
JD
April 9, 2025 at 11:44 am
Oh cool, we’re doing the tariff thing again. Because making everything more expensive for Americans really worked out last time, right?
Donalds is hyping a strategy that already failed as it raised prices here, hurt farmers, and did absolutely nothing to stop China from retaliating. They hit us with 84% tariffs, and now we’re supposed to believe they’re coming to the table out of fear? Come on.
And the EU? Yeah, they’re “willing to deal”, probably because they’re tired of getting slapped with random import taxes while trying to keep diplomatic relations from falling apart.
This isn’t a plan. It’s chest-thumping with a pricetag. And we’re the ones paying for it. F@ck Trump and Donalds. He won’t be affected, nor will his kids. I’m tired of insulated rich folks making bad decisions for us and telling us it’s for the best. It’s like getting served a sh!t sandwich and being told it’s roast beef.
Bill
April 9, 2025 at 1:05 pm
It worked out so well for McKinley and Smoot/Hawley that doubling down on it can’t be bad right? /s
Now we’ll watch as China starts dumping all their T-Bills and Germany pulls their ~3300 metric tons of gold out of Fort Knox and global trading blocks get redrawn without us. We’re officially the world’s pariah. Might be the first time I’ve agreed with Elmo – it’s dumber than a bag of bricks.
JD
April 9, 2025 at 4:04 pm
You noticed he backed off except the international “boogedy man” China.
Why? the Volatility in the bond market.
Exactly what you said – they were dumping their T-Bills and he was about to have his collective ass handed to him.
A Without Trump Losing Your Money
April 9, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Bank in Florida could collapse, because lots of people lost money in the stock market retirement plan,the government do.have enough money to make all depositers whole,the FDIC government only have 150 Billion dollar in insurance in reserve, meaning if multiple banks collapse do to bank losing 10 of billion in margin call,they could become insolvent,your bank probably do have 10 thousand dollars in cash, because most money they have are from deposit of the day Google Trump FDIC Bank Failure Google Bank Cash Reserve Requirements Google Florida 401k Losses
Andy
April 9, 2025 at 2:58 pm
Byron does that mean Trump Bibles (in a Country that incarcerates citizens for possessing or reading one), Trump tennis shoes, and all other Trump merchandise is subject to the 125% tariffs???
Skeptic
April 9, 2025 at 9:43 pm
Glad to see that Trumpty Dumpty surrendered today. Sad to see that he started and lost the war. For those able to count, S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Russel 2000 still in correction territory.