Is Trump creating trade uncertainty to attract investment into the U.S. ?

The Trump administration has lifted exemptions for Canada, Mexico and the European Union on its punishing steel and aluminum tariffs. Former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge says the United States is deliberately creating global trade uncertainty to drive investment to its shores.

“The White House and the people around the president look at the world in a way that, if they can create uncertainty about investment elsewhere in the world, then both Americans and foreigners will come and invest more in the United States,” Dodge told BNN Bloomberg on Monday.

This strategy has partially worked over the past 18 months as unsuccessful NAFTA talks have caused companies to postpone or delay important investment decisions. Current Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg last Friday that the ongoing NAFTA negotiations threaten to drive investment in Canada away for good.

President Trump is headed for a showdown with America’s allies at a Group of Seven summit today in Quebec, with the European Union and Canada threatening retaliatory measures unless he reverses course on new steel and aluminum levies. The EU has threatened to retaliate with duties on everything from American motorcycles to bourbon. Canada and Mexico have also promised to levy their own tariffs on U.S. goods.

The White House appeared unfazed by threats from allies. Top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was “overreacting” in response to the tariffs, and said the blame for any escalation lies with the U.S.’s trading partners. He said Trump is simply responding to decades of trade abuse.

The president believes that the tariffs being charged against other countries would help to fund the U.S. government and also believes that the U.S. could not lose a trade war in an international climate where the rules were already stacked against American business.

In my humble opinion, Trump’s bullying tactics may have worked in real estate negotiations with contractors and financial institutions. However, it seems to me that world leaders are not going to allow Trump to win concessions without a serious fight.

This trade dispute has triggered one of the biggest crises in the G-7 since the group’s formation by Canada, France, Italy, Germany, the U.K., Japan and the U.S. In a rare rebuke of a member nation, G-7 finance chiefs said the U.S. duties could “undermine open trade and confidence in the global economy.”

Trump’s “America First” policy could turn into “America Alone” as trade tensions escalate with allies.  So far the world stock markets have not reacted to the fact that tariffs will boost the inflation rate. Leading to higher interest rates and slower global growth.

Lets hope that cooler heads prevail and the world avoids another great recession.

 

 

 

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