Does Trump believe in fair trade deals where both sides benefit or one-sided trade deals where only the US benefits?

[Yes_Minister]

Does Trump believe in fair trade deals where both sides benefit or one-sided trade deals where only the Use benefits? Trump demanded Canada remove its digital services tax on US tech companies. However the US charges taxes on US tech companies, why can't Canada do the same? Should Canada drop this tax and get nothing in return from the US? Is Trump doing the "Art of the Deal" on Canada and is the "Art of the Deal" supposed to piss off the other side?

 

[Allan]

Trump thinks trade between the US and all other countries should be equal, a concept the WSJ characterized as "bonkers".

 

[Bok Tuklo]

There is no strategy. There is no philosophy. There are no beliefs. All there is for Trump is the eternal now. Whatever makes him feel good now is all that matters. Once you internalize that truth, every action he takes, every thing he says, makes sense.

 

[The Brad Dad]

He doesn't understand anything about trade. Whatever he may or may not have understood has drowned in a swirl of dementia. We will be in a recession this year and Republicans will try to to persuade people it's not a really real recession cause recessions are woke.

 

[Peacenik]

Dysfunctional Donald is not win/win at all. Dysfunctional Donald believes there is always a winner and a loser in every deal. His goal is to always be the winner. He does not believe in mutually beneficial deals. He doesn't think that exists. Dysfunctional Donald is so down on the world he suspects everyone of always trying to rip others off, assumes that is what everyone is doing, so he wants to always be the one doing the ripping off.

DD thinks everyone is out to take advantage of others and believes he is simply better at it. This way, he is able to justify abhorrent behavior. He does not know the meaning of, and doesn't understand the use of, in the English language for words like "nice," "fair," "love," nor "compassion." Those terms have no place in his vocabulary. He thinks anyone who goes there is a 'schmuck,' or an 'easy mark.' That is because Dysfunctional Donald is a con man.

Anybody who voted for him is a fool.

 

[SkyChief]

There are never any "winners" in a trade-war. EVER.

That said, there will usually be one side that has better leverage, and stands to lose less in a trade war. I think that Trump is using this rationale for dealing with Canada the way he does. The U.S. has been getting screwed by Canada since the 1980s (trade deficits), and Trump wants that to end.

 

[Yes_Minister]

There are never any "winners" in a trade-war. EVER.

That said, there will usually be one side that has better leverage, and stands to lose less in a trade war. I think that Trump is using this rationale for dealing with Canada the way he does. The U.S. has been getting screwed by Canada since the 1980s (trade deficits), and Trump wants that to end.

What evidence do you have that Canada has been "screwing" the US?

 

[Allan]

The U.S. has been getting screwed by Canada since the 1980s (trade deficits), and Trump wants that to end.

Sympathy bandage?

 

[Isidore]

"USMCA, the best trade deal ever made." – DJT, Oct 2024​

​

"Who would ever sign a thing like this?" – DJT, Feb 2025​

Does Trump know what he believes in?

 

[Allan]

What evidence do you have that Canada has been "screwing" the US?

He thinks a country one tenth the size of the US should spend the same.

 

[SkyChief]

What evidence do you have that Canada has been "screwing" the US?

Over four decades of trade deficits where Cananda has always been on the 'control' side of the imbalance.

“Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately. We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period,”

“Economically we have such power over Canada. We’d rather not use it. It’s not going to work out well for Canada. They were foolish to do it.” - Trump

 

[phoenix2020]

What evidence do you have that Canada has been "screwing" the US?

Oh that’s easy. He doesn’t have any nor does he need or want any. Think of MAGA like him as glorified copy machines; somebody else inputs material into a feeder tray, pushes a button, and off they go making copies. That’s all @SkyChief’s post is. Donald inserted “Canada is screwing us! So unfair!” into his tray and now he’s spamming it whenever he sees an opportunity. Copy machines do not understand nor question the material they copy. They do not analyze it. They certainly do not look to justify it. They just make copies.

 

[Bullseye]

Does Trump believe in fair trade deals where both sides benefit or one-sided trade deals where only the Use benefits? Trump demanded Canada remove its digital services tax on US tech companies. However the US charges taxes on US tech companies, why can't Canada do the same? Should Canada drop this tax and get nothing in return from the US? Is Trump doing the "Art of the Deal" on Canada and is the "Art of the Deal" supposed to piss off the other side?

How likely is it that a country would enter a deal that offered absolutely no benefit to itself?

 

[Yes_Minister]

Over four decades of trade deficits where Cananda has always been on the good side.

“Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately. We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period,”

“Economically we have such power over Canada. We’d rather not use it,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “It’s not going to work out well for Canada. They were foolish to do it.” - Trump

And what actual damage have these trade deficits done to the US? Can you post a figure with research behind it? Does the deficit exist because Canada has a tenth of the population of the US? Do you think the Canadian government has a secret palace where it stores money stole from the US through "bad trade deals"?

How is the US the most powerful and richest country in the world and screwed over by every other country in the world? How does that make sense? It seems this is a fantasy, not reality.

 

[Yes_Minister]

How likely is it that a country would enter a deal that offered absolutely no benefit to itself?

Depends, if the US is trying to use it's economic might to strong arm other countries into unfair deals, that could be successful with some countries, it doesn't make it right.

 

[upsideguy]

There are never any "winners" in a trade-war. EVER.

That said, there will usually be one side that has better leverage, and stands to lose less in a trade war. I think that Trump is using this rationale for dealing with Canada the way he does. The U.S. has been getting screwed by Canada since the 1980s (trade deficits), and Trump wants that to end.

My God, trade deficits are not a sign you are "being screwed"...... If your economy creates wealth and you spend the wealth elsewhere, you have a trade deficit. I earn my money one place, and spend some at Kroger. I have a trade deficit with Kroger as they are not buying from me.... I could start a trade war with Kroger, but they will just sell my spinach to someone else without losing a wink of sleep.

A trade deficit is neither good nor bad. It seems that Trump nor you grasp this very simple economic concept. Trump is try to fix things that are not broken by breaking them....

 

[SkyChief]

And what actual damage have these trade deficits done to the US? Can you post a figure with research behind it?

I don't need to. The trade deficits with Canada since 1985 are a matter of fact, and not my opinion. You can research the figures for yourself if you're really interested.

Does the deficit exist because Canada has a tenth of the population of the US?

I don't think that the population of Canada has anything to do with it.

Do you think the Canadian government has a secret palace where it stores money stole from the US through "bad trade deals"?

That's a ridiculous question.

How is the US the most powerful and richest country in the world and screwed over by every other country in the world? How does that make sense? It seems this is a fantasy, not reality.

The trade deficits since 1985 are not fantasy - they are FACT. Canada stands to lose a lot more than the U.S. because the lion's share of Canada's exports go to the U.S.

 

[noonereal]

Does Trump believe in fair trade deals where both sides benefit or one-sided trade deals where only the Use benefits? Trump demanded Canada remove its digital services tax on US tech companies. However the US charges taxes on US tech companies, why can't Canada do the same? Should Canada drop this tax and get nothing in return from the US? Is Trump doing the "Art of the Deal" on Canada and is the "Art of the Deal" supposed to piss off the other side?

Why can't people do simple polls correctly?

 

[SkyChief]

A trade deficit is neither good nor bad.

It seems that Trump nor you grasp this very simple economic concept.

What an absurd statement.

 

[Yes_Minister]

I don't need to. The trade deficits with Canada since 1985 are a matter of fact, and not my opinion. You can research the figures for yourself if you're really interested.

And what evidence do have that this trade deficit with Canada has done economic damage to the US? What evidence do you have Canada has cheated the US?

I don't think that the population of Canada has anything to do with it.

Why not, why wouldn't a county with a much smaller population sell more than it would buy from a country with a bigger population?

That's a ridiculous question.

I was being facetious.

The trade deficits since 1985 are not fantasy - they are FACT. Canada stands to lose a lot more than the U.S. because the lion's share of Canada's exports go to the U.S.

See my first question.

 

[Yes_Minister]

Why can't people do simple polls correctly?

What is wrong with my poll?

 

[noonereal]

What is wrong with my poll?

Seriously?

Read your question. It is not even a full sentence.

 

[rahl]

I don't need to. The trade deficits with Canada since 1985 are a matter of fact, and not my opinion. You can research the figures for yourself if you're really interested.

I don't think that the population of Canada has anything to do with it.

That's a ridiculous question.

The trade deficits since 1985 are not fantasy - they are FACT. Canada stands to lose a lot more than the U.S. because the lion's share of Canada's exports go to the U.S.

Simply bloviating “there is a trade deficit, we are being screwed” is just about the dumbest, economically ignorant statement someone can make. Which of course is why Trump and his supporters parrot it.

We are the richest country in the world, with the best economy in the world. Trade deficits are completely meaningless.

By the way, Trump negotiated the current trade agreement with Canada the last time he squatted in the oval office. And then called one vest deal ever. Now it’s the worst deal ever.

 

[Yes_Minister]

Seriously?

Read your question. It is not even a full sentence.

Oh dang, you are right.

 

[SkyChief]

And what evidence do have that this trade deficit with Canada has done economic damage to the US?

This question is a Straw-man, because I did not say that this trade deficit with Canada has done economic damage to the US.

What evidence do you have Canada has cheated the US?

Another Straw-man question. I never said that Canada "cheated" the U.S.