The Second Term of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States of America

The parallels continue.

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Rebecca K. Reynolds​

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"Our universities are filled with liberal professors who teach students to hate this country! They are breeding grounds for godless, leftist propaganda."

"The press is no better. Those liberal reporters despise our nation. They spread lies with the intention of destroying this country."

"Our public museums have been corrupted! They work overtime to make this nation look bad! They do whatever they can to make white, Christian people look like criminals! This is not helpful!


"This is not free speech. It's a strategic, systematic, leftist demolition of all that is sacred and true. We cannot let corrupt judges prevent us from protecting this country! We must take a hard stand against the poisoning of the youth and the poisoning of the public, or we will no longer have a nation!"
---
This is the language of Gleichschaltung, a key strategy employed by Nazi Germany after Hitler's rise to power in 1933.

Gleichschaltung attempted to bring all of German society, politics, and culture under Nazi control. The term loosely means "synchronization."

Institutional takeover was essential to Gleichschaltung. Leaders in all influential groups were removed and replaced with loyalists. These groups included government bureaucracy, legal systems, educational systems, cultural organizations, and professional associations. For example:

A. Unsympathetic judges were targeted and removed.
B. "Undesirable" university students were systematically purged from campuses. Funding was strategically wielded to influence what was taught on campuses.
C. Quack herbalism and homeopathy (Naturheilkunde) were elevated while many brilliant scientists were moved out of the medical profession
D. Unqualified loyalists were chosen to fill many cabinet positions. People without sufficient experience who expressed early and fervent allegiance to Hitler were regularly chosen to lead the nation.
E. Media control grew. Unsympathetic reporters were routinely denied access to government press conferences, Nazi Party rallies, and other significant events. Only approved journalists from Nazi-friendly publications received official invitations and press passes. For major events, journalists were often required to stay in designated areas and follow specific guidelines about what they could report. Those who violated these rules lost their credentials.
F. Economic alignment was attempted through tariffs. In an attempt to make Germany self-sufficient, Hitler imposed deep and sweeping tariffs soon after his election. This angered the world and caused major economic problems in Nazi Germany.
G. Opposing political parties were targeted for defunding. Attempts were made to squelch fundraising for opposing parties. Property was seized, donors were intimidated, and eventually opposing parties were outlawed.
H. The purpose of women was streamlined with concepts such as "Kinder, Küche, Kirche" (Children, Kitchen, Church), which appealed to conservative Christians by emphasizing women's traditional roles. The Nazi regime also instituted the Mother's Cross award (Mutterkreuz), which honored women with large families.

These actions were not presented as authoritarian moves, but as attempts to protect Germans from perversion, abuse, and harm.

Citizens were regularly warned about the dangers of diseased and criminal foreigners, assured that Hitler was purifying the nation so that it could become a haven for "traditional" values while ridding itself from dark secular, communist influences.
 
Shiftless2 said:

Rebecca K. Reynolds​

"Institutional takeover was essential to Gleichschaltung. Leaders in all influential groups were removed and replaced with loyalists. These groups included government bureaucracy, legal systems, educational systems, cultural organizations, and professional associations." #621
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And the reaction of the nation which has victimized itself this way is to look on mostly passively, noting the historic precedents foretelling what is likely to come.

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Madness !
 
Another Every Day HERO! She has great integrity and her students are better for it!

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Patriann Tsaum​

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Secretary of Education and WWE faux-wrestling promoter, Linda McMahon, and the Trump administration gave schools 10 days to gut their equity programs or lose funding. One superintendent responded with a letter so clear, so bold, and so unapologetically righteous, it deserves to be read in full. PLEASE READ, to see if this makes sense to you.

April 8, 2025

To Whom It May (Unfortunately) Concern at the U.S. Department of Education:

Thank you for your April 3 memorandum, which I read several times — not because it was legally persuasive, but because I kept checking to see if it was satire. Alas, it appears you are serious.

You’ve asked me, as superintendent of a public school district, to sign a "certification" declaring that we are not violating federal civil rights law — by, apparently, acknowledging that civil rights issues still exist. You cite Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, then proceed to argue that offering targeted support to historically marginalized students is somehow discriminatory.

That’s not just legally incoherent — it’s a philosophical Möbius strip of bad faith.

Let me see if I understand your logic:

If we acknowledge racial disparities, that’s racism.

If we help English learners catch up, that’s favoritism.

If we give a disabled child a reading aide, we’re denying someone else the chance to struggle equally.

And if we train teachers to understand bias, we’re indoctrinating them — but if we train them to ignore it, we’re “restoring neutrality”?

How convenient that your sudden concern for “equal treatment” seems to apply only when it’s used to silence conversations about race, identity, or inequality.

Let’s talk about our English learners. Would you like us to stop offering translation services during parent-teacher conferences? Should we cancel bilingual support staff to avoid the appearance of “special treatment”? Or would you prefer we just teach all content in English and hope for the best, since acknowledging linguistic barriers now counts as discrimination?

And while we’re at it — what’s your official stance on IEPs? Because last I checked, individualized education plans intentionally give students with disabilities extra support.

Should we start removing accommodations to avoid offending the able-bodied majority? Maybe cancel occupational therapy altogether so no one feels left out?

If a student with a learning disability receives extended time on a test, should we now give everyone extended time, even if they don’t need it? Just to keep the playing field sufficiently flat and unthinking?

Your letter paints equity as a threat. But equity is not the threat. It’s the antidote to decades of failure. Equity is what ensures all students have a fair shot. Equity is what makes it possible for a child with a speech impediment to present at the science fair. It’s what helps the nonverbal kindergartner use an AAC device. It’s what gets the newcomer from
Ukraine the ESL support she needs without being left behind.

And let’s not skip past the most insulting part of your directive — the ten-day deadline. A national directive sent to thousands of districts with the subtlety of a ransom note, demanding signatures within a week and a half or else you’ll cut funding that supports... wait for it... low-income students, disabled students, and English learners.

Brilliant. Just brilliant. A moral victory for bullies and bureaucrats everywhere.

So no, we will not be signing your “certification.”

We are not interested in joining your theater of compliance.

We are not interested in gutting equity programs that serve actual children in exchange for your political approval.

We are not interested in abandoning our legal, ethical, and educational responsibilities to satisfy your fear of facts.

We are interested in teaching the truth.

We are interested in honoring our students’ identities.

We are interested in building a school system where no child is invisible, and no teacher is punished for caring too much.

And yes — we are prepared to fight this. In the courts. In the press. In the community. In Congress, if need be.

Because this district will not be remembered as the one that folded under pressure.

We will be remembered as the one that stood its ground — not for politics, but for kids.

Sincerely,

District Superintendent
Still Teaching. Still Caring. Still Not Signing.

permalink here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2400658860168264/posts/4164333590467440/
 
I'm sure Donnie will claim this is a great victory - it was, but not for him

China has won the trade war with Trump​

Matthew Lynn

his weekend, the United States struck a deal with China that will see American tariffs on Beijing’s exports come back down to manageable levels again, while China will lower its levies on imports from the US. The giant container ports on both sides of the Pacific can now be re-opened. The factories across China can get back to work, and Wal-Mart and Target can start placing orders again. The global economy can start moving once more – but significantly, it will very quickly become clear who has won the tariff war: China.

The deal that was announced this morning in Switzerland, where negotiations took place, by the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant appears very simple. The US will reduce its tariffs on Chinese imports from 145 per cent to 30 per cent, while China will cut its from 125 per cent to just 10 per cent. For now, it is just a 90-day pause, but it already looks likely that over the next three months a more permanent agreement will be worked out. Stock markets around the world celebrated the news, with equities jumping in Europe, and with the main indices on Wall Street expected to rise 2 per cent or more when they open.

If the deal sticks, the ‘tariff war’ between Donald Trump and China is effectively over. Sure, a 30 per cent levy on the American side is still significant, but there already appears to be negotiating space for it to come down to 10 per cent. Chinese manufacturers are so competitive, and make so much progress in productivity, that they can absorb that without too much damage. In reality, the world’s most important trading relationship between its two largest economies can get back to normal.

The more significant point is surely this. China made very few concessions to get this deal. It has not opened up its market to the American tech giants, or agreed to ship fewer goods across the Pacific, or buy more planes or pharmaceuticals from the US, or indeed to scale back its attempts to move into higher value industries such as autos, Artificial Intelligence or aerospace.

Instead, President Trump has looked at the potentially devastating impact that cutting the US off from Chinese imports would have on the economy and blinked. He was not ready to ride out the inevitable spike in inflation or the likely recession. For China, that is clearly a victory. The US needs China more than China needs the US. With that becoming increasingly clear, the US won’t restart the trade war any time soon – and China can resume its long-term plan of turning itself into the world’s dominant economy.

www.spectator.co.uk

China has won the trade war with Trump

The factories across China can get back to work, while Wal-Mart and Target can start placing orders again.
www.spectator.co.uk www.spectator.co.uk
 
Shiftless2 said:
I'm sure Donnie will claim this is a great victory - it was, but not for him S2 #625
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For those that have been spared the anguish of the past decade of Trump headlines,
legitimate politicians are interested in favorable outcomes.

Trump is interested in dramatic process, and seems indifferent to outcome as long as he can rhetorically tout it as a favorable accomplishment.

President of the United States Donald J. Trump may have swindled more billions of humans than anyone else in history. The greatest swindler of all time, so far.

Will there ever be a better epitaph for this two-term two-timer ?

Shiftless2 said:

China has won #625​

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Trump has one also, but Stormy Daniels says it's not very big.
 
Ask a former U.S. president what they miss most about holding the office, he's likely to reply: "Air Force One".

Trump plans to accept luxury 747 from Qatar to use as Air Force One​

By Jeff Mason and Joseph Ax / May 12, 20253:04 AM GMT-5
May 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration intends to accept a Boeing 747-8 airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family that would be outfitted to serve as Air Force One, according to a source briefed on the matter.
The luxury plane, which would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the U.S. government, would eventually be donated to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office, the source said. A new commercial 747-8 costs approximately $400 million.
Trump has expressed frustration at the delays in delivering two new 747-8 aircraft to serve as an updated Air Force One. During his first term, Trump had reached a deal with Boeing to deliver the jets in 2024. A U.S. Air Force official told Congress last week that Boeing had proposed finishing the planes by 2027.
A Qatari spokesperson, Ali Al-Ansari, said in a statement that the possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One was still under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense and "no decision has been made".

This Qatari "gift" has not been officially exhaustively investigated and officially approved.
It appears to be an obvious violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause.

There are many issues involved, including information security risks, if the aircraft has been bugged.
And presidential security may be at risk, if the aircraft has been sabotaged with a remote-control bomb.

Even if the "gift" from Qatar to Trump ("the U.S.") is as safe and secure as it would be if delivered directly from Boeing, would it not complicate if not cripple the U.S.' ability to conduct "objective", unbiased foreign affairs, including mediating disputes within the Middle East, and beyond?
 
The argument has been made that the gift is legal because the plane is being given to the Air Force, not Trump personally, and when he leaves office it will be transferred to a non-profit.
 
Shiftless2 said:
"The argument has been made that the gift is legal because the plane is being given to the Air Force, not Trump personally, and when he leaves office it will be transferred to a non-profit." S2 #628
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The argument has been made by icky ding-bats.
"In the mid 1980s the Americans discovered that the Soviets had hidden listening devices deep inside the walls of its new embassy building in Moscow, while it was still under construction. The discovery led to a major trans-Atlantic row and President Ronald Reagan threatened to have the whole building pulled down."
https://wspartners.bbc.com/episode/b083qvxh
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There are multiple reasons for Trump to neither use nor accept this aircraft.
- The emolument's clause which prohibits it.
- The security risks of using or possessing it.
- The floodgate it could open to other nations around the world that wish to curry special favor.
- One report suggested the aircraft at issue is not built for mid-air refueling, the implication being properly procured Air Force One aircraft are. Not impossible to imagine that vulnerability leveraged by an enemy forcing the aircraft to ditch at sea.
"While it is important to avoid impropriety it is also important to avoid the appearance of impropriety." psychologist Joy Browne
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Splendid doctor.
Tell the president.
Shiftless2 said:
"Hillary" #629
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Republican hypocrisy noted, again.
 
NBC

Grounded! Trump’s jet gift in trouble amid GOP revolt, ‘grift’ says National Review​

NBC / Tue, May 13, 2025 at 7:43 PM EDT
Donald Trump faces growing backlash, even from Republicans, over a $400 million luxury jet gifted by the royal family Qatar. The conservative-leaning outlet The National Review calls it “a plane old grift.” MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports.
news.yahoo.com

Grounded! Trump’s jet gift in trouble amid GOP revolt, ‘grift’ says National Review

Donald Trump faces growing backlash, even from Republicans, over a $400 million luxury jet gifted by the royal family Qatar. The conservative-leaning outlet The National Review calls it “a plane old grift.” MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports. (The Beat's YouTube playlist: https://msnbc.com/ari Beat...
news.yahoo.com news.yahoo.com

Trump may be a lame duck, and thus shielded from the political backlash illustrated in post #629 (Hillary $425 vs Trump $400,000,000*).
But there are some Republicans that hope to be reelected. The less 'splainin' they have to do to voters, the less unlikely their reelection.

* Was Hillary's necklace bugged?
 
While she seems to think she (and the administration) is above the law that's proving to be the case. After all, if no-one is willing to enforce their rulings the Supreme Court is nothing more than a meaningless anachronism

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Occupy Democrats​

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BREAKING: Congressman Dan Goldman obliterates MAGA Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for illegally refusing to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States — causing her to lash out with pathetic insults.

"Fascist Barbie" is clearly addicted to public humiliation...

"Will you give Mr. Abrego Garcia the due process that the Supreme Court and Judge Wilkinson has required you to give him?" asked Goldman during a hearing.

"Abrego Garcia is an El Salvador resident who is in his home country. If he were to come back to this country he would be immediately removed again," said Noem.

"How do you know?" pressed Goldman.

"He has received and been treated appropriately sir and he is not in this country anymore," said Noem, ignoring the fact that a judge ordered that Abrego Garcia, who fled from violent gangs, could not be deported.

"How can you say he has been treated appropriately if the Supreme Court has ruled nine-nothing? Nine-nothing that he hasn't been treated appropriately," said Goldman. "Why is your opinion better and have more authority than the Supreme Court?"

"We had two judges... Investigators, two judges, an immigration court that all said that he was MS-13 and was removed from this country," said Noem.

It must be noted that the allegations of Abrego Garcia being a member of MS-13 are completely unfounded. The Trump administration still has not provided so much as a scrap of credible evidence to support the allegation and numerous gang experts have said that Abrego Garcia is clearly not MS-13.

"But you understand that is you saying that? That is you saying that!" said Goldman, unwilling to fall for Noem's propaganda.

"That is them saying that," said Noem.

"No, no, no, no! That is you making that determination. The court has considered all that. The judge has considered all that Madam Secretary," said Goldman. "And if you would be quiet, because I'm reclaiming my time, you are not following this court order."

"But let's focus on the court order," the Congressman continued. "Because this opinion also says that to 'facilitate,' which the Supreme Court is requiring, is an active verb. It requires that steps be taken. What steps have you taken to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to allow him to get due process?"

"Abrego Garcia is in his home country. If he were to come back here—" said Noem.

"What steps have you taken?" asked Goldman.

"If your continued advocacy for him were—" said Noem, gearing up to smear the innocent father.

"I'm not advocating for him," interjected Goldman.

"Yes you are!" she replied indignantly. "Absolutely. You have gone to the mat for this man who has terrorized—"

"I'm advocating for a court order Madam Secretary. The court order says that you must takes steps to follow the court order," said Goldman. "You are here under oath. What steps have you taken to return Mr. Abrego Garcia pursuant to this court order?"

"It's gotta be extremely discouraging to be one of your constituents, to see you fight for a terrorist like this and not fight for them, is extremely, uh, alarming to me," said Noem.

At the moment that she falsely called Abrego Garcia a "terrorist," much of the room audibly gasped and groaned.

"I'm fighting for due process and that's under the Constitution and you should fight too for due process," concluded Congressman Goldman
 
Shiftless2 said:
"MAGA Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem" #633
Click to expand...
(n)
- To Noem is to hate her. -

Shiftless2 said:
"I'm not advocating for him," interjected Goldman.
"Yes you are!" she replied indignantly. "Absolutely. You have gone to the mat for this man who has terrorized—"
"I'm advocating for a court order Madam Secretary. The court order says that you must takes steps to follow the court order," said Goldman. "You are here under oath. What steps have you taken to return Mr. Abrego Garcia pursuant to this court order?" #633
Click to expand...
Secretary Noem:
Your momma should be ashamed.
 
Shiftless2 said:
"MAGAs are the dumbest people on this planet." #637
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"Dumbest"? Most treacherous? Most subversive?

The most dangerous may be those miscreants that allowed former President Trump's name on 2024 primary election ballots, in explicit contravention to the United States Constitution.
United States Constitution, Art. #14 SECTION 3.
No person shall ... hold any office ... under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as ... an officer of the United States, ... to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.
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Worth noting, most Republican members of congress may factually be regarded as having given aid or comfort to Trump, and his anti-American agenda. If our Constitution were to be followed, adhered to in this case (unlikely) Trump would be removed, along with his VP, and congressional Republicans that have contributed to the Trump agenda.
 
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Amanda Rosen​

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In case y’all missed it: there’s drama at the Library of Congress. And yes, I have thoughts.

Let’s start here bc I haven’t seen this talked about at all: the Library of Congress (LOC) isn’t just some dusty building full of books in D.C. It’s the memory of America… our collective brain, receipts and all.

For EVERY American, no matter your beliefs, the LOC should be a point of pride for you.

And right now, it’s caught in a political firestorm.

So… what is the LOC?

If you’re picturing powdered wigs and scrolls, buckle up. The LOC was founded in 1800 to give Congress the facts they need to write laws (novel concept, I know). After the British burned it down in 1814 (still salty about the tea I guess), a year later Thomas Jefferson sold his entire personal library to Congress (6,400 volumes!!!) to rebuild it.

** Nerd alert: about 2,000 of those volumes remain (the rest were lost in a fire, and the LOC has been actively working to replace them) and you can see them. With your own eyes.

Pretty dang cool.

Anyway.

Today, it’s the largest library in the world, with over 170 million items: books, maps, films, sound recordings, even archived tweets. (Yes, really.)

It’s not partisan. It’s not performative. It’s ours.

Who runs this thing?

The Librarian of Congress. Think of them as the nation’s head researcher, memory keeper, and copyright overlord.

They oversee:

>> The Congressional Research Service (helps Congress not sound clueless by providing nonpartisan research),
>> The U.S. Copyright Office (protects creators’ work),
>> Archives of American media and folk culture,
>> And the main mission: protect access to truth for all Americans.

Also? Anyone 16+ can visit or use the LOC online for free. It’s literally for us.

So why the headlines?

Because Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and first Black Librarian of Congress, was just fired by Trump. A year before her term was set to end.

She’s a career librarian out of Baltimore, not a partisan figure.

Also… can’t get around this… but this job is Senate-confirmed and supposed to be a 10-year term.

She was appointed by Obama and confirmed by bipartisan support in 2016.

Presidents don’t get to just say “You’re fired” unless there’s cause. So… legal experts are raising eyebrows, and they should be.

Why does it matter?

Because I’m a mom of four… and I know what happens when people forget what matters… Like that the baby doesn’t eat crayons, or that you do have to brush your teeth.

When a nation forgets its history? That’s how democracies fall apart.

There’s a claim that she was fired because she was promoting DEI or other “woke” ideology.

Accusations like that demand proof. There isn’t any.

Here’s what Dr. Hayden did that’s got people upset:

She prioritized digitizing rare documents, improving access for underserved communities, and increasing public engagement with historical materials.. especially via online platforms.

And, like many libraries and museums nationwide, the LOC under Hayden featured exhibits and collections that included African American history, Indigenous cultures, women’s history and LGBTQ+ materials.

These efforts aligned with the LOC’s mission to preserve the full record of American life, not to promote a political agenda.

Dr. Hayden maintained the Library’s stance as a nonpartisan resource, defending the importance of collecting and preserving history… even the uncomfortable parts.

The disturbing part, to me, is regardless of your political belief… or your personal ones… our cultural institutions are designed to reflect the whole picture.

Different walks of life make up the fabric of life. That’s just the simple truth.

Not to mention…

The LOC doesn’t create ideological content; it archives and makes accessible what already exists in America’s cultural and historical record.

Exhibits or online features on marginalized groups are part of telling the whole truth of American history, not pushing a viewpoint.

Are we REALLY comfortable with saying that we would rather not showcase anything to do with, as an example, Native Americans bc it somehow takes away from our greatness?

This idea of “greatness” seems to want to be defined by some through a very narrow lens.

I would counter that being great means you can own it all… the good, the bad, the boring, the weird, the interesting.

You don’t inspire others by being a monolith.

Ignoring the past doesn’t magically change it. It is there. It’s a mixed bag. Like most things.

These claims that Dr. Hayden is pushing an ideology are likely rooted in broader cultural battles… not in the actual function or behavior of the Library under Dr. Hayden’s leadership.

This is important.

Because if you’re fired up about this and think she was “woke” and all you have are a handful of talking points you got from the news, then you’ve been manipulated my friend.

You’re playing right into the (manufactured) culture wars.

What can we do?

Here’s how to stand up for the LOC… and for the right to think freely:

>> Visit their website (in comments) and follow their socials. Get lost in the archives. It’s public treasure. Seriously.
>> Call your reps. Tell Congress the Library of Congress must stay independent, funded, and nonpartisan. It benefits them as much as us.
>> Support your local library. LOC shares materials with libraries across the country. What happens nationally starts locally.
>> Talk to your kids. About banned books, hard truths, and asking questions. That’s what this is all about… examining our past, which is complex and mixed with pride, shame and even some boring stuff… and not filtering it through one worldview.
>> Donate if you can. The LOC Foundation funds digitization, outreach, and exhibitions.

Because freedom isn’t just about shouting into a microphone.

It’s about having access to information, context, and truth… and the Library of Congress is one of the last places that protects all three.

Let’s not lose it.
 

AlJAZEERA02.JPG​

What have US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies achieved?​

Trump’s policies have roiled global markets and left businesses stumped on how to plan for the foreseeable future.
President Donald Trump's tariff policies have wiped out trillions in value [Alex Brandon/AP]
By Megha Bahree / Published On 15 May 202515 May 2025
When examining the on-again, off-again tariff proclamations of United States President Donald Trump during his second term in office, it is unclear what has actually been achieved.
What is clear is that Trump’s tariff announcements have roiled global markets, wiping out trillions in value, and leaving many businesses stumped on how to plan for the future amid the never-ending uncertainty.
www.aljazeera.com

What have US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies achieved?

Trump’s policies have roiled global markets and left businesses stumped on how to plan for the foreseeable future.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 
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