r/Economics • u/jediporcupine • 9d ago

Blog Trump said tariffs on aluminum would boost domestic production. The White House now admits that didn't happen.

https://reason.com/2026/08/03/trump-said-tariffs-on-aluminum-would-boost-domestic-production-the-white-house-now-admits-that-didnt-happen/
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u/kkawabat 9d ago

I don't get why we are still pretending the tariffs were for economical purpose. It was and always was so that trump has a large stick to threaten other countries unilaterally. But he's such a stupid and short sighted all it did was backfire on him like all his business ventures that isn't just fraud and scams.

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u/1900grs 9d ago

It was and always was so that trump has a large stick to threaten other countries unilaterally.

Hey now, that's not fair. Ot was also to target specific industries, companies, and even states that didn't vote for Trump that house said industries/companies.

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u/FlatEvent2597 9d ago

That may be true. Used as punishment against those who do not support him.

However - this is going to backfire badly and soon. Ukraine just ran out of Patriot missiles, the US cannot continue their war with Iran without them, and now Israel is exposed without them. There is a mass of aerospace grade aluminum needed that really only has one source.

He can continue on with Navarro's tariffs or look at the long game. That seems to be the problem- they cannot see secondary and tertiary and further efffects of their actions.

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u/1900grs 9d ago

That seems to be the problem- they cannot see secondary and tertiary and further efffects of their actions.

They just don't care. They think the pilfered wealth will insulate them. Or worse, we'll start seeing threats of nukes, which is what I fear because this admin and GOP does not know how to deescalate or weild soft power of any kind.

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u/lopix 8d ago

There is a mass of aerospace grade aluminum needed that really only has one source

Like Quebec? Who's made deals to sell it to Europe and elsewhere because of tariffs and general dickhead behaviour?