Grapevine News Online Lets Make A Deal

Let’s make a deal

There can be no argument that the lunatic in the White House has as much fiscal ability as a flea, but even that analogy still stretches Trump’s ability to know what he’s doing or likely to do. Regardless, the attempted assassination on him last year has supercharged the beliefs of his followers in the divine right of MAGA and that the rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, was as a mass spiritual awakening, promoting beliefs that the ‘lunatic in the White House’ enacts God’s will.

But the man who called Iran the bully of the Middle East needs to take a long, hard look at himself in the mirror – the bully of the world will be staring him in the face; a convicted criminal and convicted rapist – not a divine human being!

16 July 2025

ALAN HAYES

MOST people will remember the movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andi MacDowell, where Phil (Murray), a self-centred weatherman, goes to the town of Punxsutawney for an assignment. He is later shocked when he wakes up the next morning and realises that he is reliving the same day over and over. And Mad King Donald’s threatening tariffs is his groundhog day: the same negative and monotonous dribble, occurring repeatedly with no change or correction.

So, while the world cowers at the prospect of Trump’s new tariffs, he continues to engender rage and false hope – Australia hoping that the dice will ultimately roll in its favour.

But will Trump again chicken out (TACO) on his threats? - 50% tariff on non-US copper and a 200% tariff on imported pharmaceuticals. And while Mad King Donald has “sparked alarm” among Australian business leaders and the government, the UK is trying to reassure Australia about AUKUS. Yet the fundamental problem is that the US aren't able to produce enough Virginia-class submarines to be able to offer to us their ‘oldies’ as hand-me-downs, especially if Mad King Donald is keen on starting a war with China.

But still, the Mad Kings rhetoric continues. Last week Trump claimed that copper entering the US from other countries is set to face a new tax of 50% and threatened a 200% duty on pharmaceuticals, after a year or so… maybe — if he doesn’t TACO again. Trump’s favourite weapon is to use fear in an attempt to bully countries into capitulating to his inane demands – better to focus on what the White House resident actually does rather than says he’ll do.

Nevertheless, Mad King Donald has put the cat amongst the pigeons – Treasurer Jim Chalmers calling the latest round of tariffs "very concerning", and Reserve Bank deputy governor Andrew Hauser warning that they could have a “profound” impact on the global economy, according to reports by Guardian Australia.

Minerals Council boss Tania Constable has also warned the threat of tariffs on copper would disrupt trade and undermine investor confidence.

Chalmers expressed his concern at Mad King Donald targeting our pharmaceutical exports to the US and said: “Our pharmaceuticals industry is much more exposed to the US market, and that’s why we’re seeking, urgently seeking, some more detail on what’s been announced.

“But I want to make it really clear once again … our pharmaceutical benefits scheme is not something that [we are] willing to trade away.”

Groundhog Day tariff cons

The trade-war-bully is intent on controlling the world economy, by threating those countries that do not acquiesce to his demands, with high tariffs, but offers nothing in return. He expects the western world, in particular, that they must pay homage to the ‘KING’, but don’t expect aid from America in the event of military conflict – the US has “done enough in the past” and Mad King Donald now expects that everyone pays their dues for that past alliance.

Trump is nothing less than a twenty-first century gangster who intends to grift his way through his presidential term – no doubt having history record him as the ‘bunco king’ of all time. But like all pathetic narcissistic pissants, he craves for the attention of the moment, so once again he’s likely to TACO on his ‘Groundhog Day’ tariffs. In the meantime, panic created by his threats has seen some governments roll over and give him what he wants – Canada yielded by agreeing not to impose a Digital Services Tax (DST) on US tech companies in anticipation of a mutually beneficial comprehensive trade arrangement with the United States. Yet the White House has stressed that no final deal has been drafted and Trump hasn’t made a final decision about it yet.

On 10 July, Trump announced via Truth Social that the US will still impose a 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting 1 August 2025. His letter doesn’t mention the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that came into force on 1 July 2020, energy, or potash; it appears duty-free status will continue for USMCA goods and the 10% tariff on energy and potash will remain unchanged.

Like other Trump tariff letters released 7 July and 9 July, the Canadian tariff letter warns that if Canada raises tariffs on US goods, the US will retaliate by increasing its tariff in kind. It also explains that goods transhipped to evade the 35% tariff will “be subject to that higher tariff.” The meaning of “that higher tariff” is not yet clear.

Not surprisingly, however, Trump letters threatening tariffs were sent to more than two dozen countries last week, but there has still been no response to make a deal – perhaps the only scenario in the weeks ahead before the new 1 August deadline will be a refocus on whether or not Mad King Donald will TACO yet again. And if the deadline is extended again, Trump may now be overplaying his hand - the bargaining position of the US has actually been diminished, revealing that their hand isn't actually as strong as they would like it to be. And the deals that are made could come at the cost of reshaping trade and ties built over decades.

Trump's choice of posting his threatening tariff letters online, rather than through traditional diplomatic channels, could backfire on him – it is nothing more than political theatre.

But Mad King Donald continues to use revenge as his reasoning for tariffs - much of that reasoning only confirming the lunacy of the White House resident. Perhaps the biggest tariff surprize was handed to Brazil – they received a letter threatening a 50 percent tariff over what Trump described as a witch hunt of their former president, a Trump ally who now faces accusations of trying to overturn the will of voters after losing a re-election bid in 2022.

There is no rationale to Trump’s tariff decisions, but what is clear, however, is that Trump doesn’t play well with the other kids in the sandpit. Once a bully, always a bully, as he continues to impose MAGA on the world. Perceived deals made with Trump will always be one-sided!

The Mad King has no intention of slowing down his egregious interference of the affairs of other countries.

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