Commentary: Trump's pathetic tariff chaos is pure abuse of power

Handelsblatt Commentary: Trump's pathetic tariff chaos is pure abuse of power Meiritz, Annett • 4 days • 3 minutes reading time The US is giving many trading partners the chance to conclude new tariff agreements. But the damage caused by Trump's back and forth is immense. Because you can no longer believe a word the US President says. Of course, the 90-day pause that Donald Trump announced on Wednesday for a large portion of his radical punitive tariffs is, first and foremost, good news. It gives the more than 75 countries that want to negotiate new agreements with the US government a chance for breathing space, for discussions, and perhaps for a mutually beneficial solution. Apart from that, however, there is nothing positive about the events of the past week. Trump has inflicted pain on his own country and the rest of the world that was and remains completely unnecessary. The moratorium now raises new, complicated questions, most notably: Who guarantees that Trump won't change his mind at the next opportunity? Trump himself admitted on Wednesday that he makes decisions "on a whim." Well, his instincts may have often been right in the past, otherwise he wouldn't have won two presidential elections. But his highly dangerous tariff chaos proves conclusively: You can't believe a word he says anymore. Unfortunately, the rest of the world must continue to cling to what Trump says, reaffirms, and then retracts. He sits in the most powerful government office in the world. And he is clearly abusing this position against international cooperation, against trust, and against the interest in a stable global economy. Just imagine: For days, lobbyists, entrepreneurs, reporters, experts, and diplomats had been asking the US president publicly and behind closed doors about the possibility of a moratorium. But the White House repeatedly said: No, there would definitely not be such a moratorium. The tone, by the way, was quite condescending – along the lines of saying such a pause was an absurd idea. Once again, the others are the stupid ones Trump himself had assured on Wednesday night, as the largest round of tariffs to date went into effect: "I know damn well what I'm doing." Negotiations weren't necessarily his goal. Less than 48 hours later, Trump finally announced the tariff pause and his willingness to engage in those same negotiations. From Trump's perspective, the stupid ones are once again the others. Those who ask questions, who want to know details about his trade policy strategy, his intentions, and goals. Citizens, investors, companies, and global partners have a right to these details, to a minimum of guidance. But the way Trump is acting is not the work of anyone who sees himself as serving the common good, but rather... well, what did he actually want? Trump hasn't done himself any favors: Anyone who supports tough tariffs could view the recent about-face as capitulation, even though he has further increased the pressure on China. And those who were shocked by the massive tariffs last week unfortunately still can't calm down, because even more chaos looms: Trump has indicated that he wants to negotiate with individual EU states rather than with the EU as a whole. Brussels had long feared precisely this scenario. In addition, Trump plans to impose new sectoral tariffs in a few days, for example on pharmaceuticals. He is even considering granting individual US companies exemptions from all tariffs. Such a patchwork of measures benefits no one: not the losers of globalization, not the structurally weak regions, not the American consumer, but only the law firms and lobbyists specializing in trade law, who are presumably drowning in work. The mood has become "a little too fearful," Trump said when addressing reporters about his about-face. This is a pathetic explanation given the tension that has dominated the world in recent days.