By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In a recent post, it was announced that India will face a 25% tariff plus a penalty starting August 1st due to high tariffs and trade barriers, as well as India’s significant reliance on Russian military equipment and energy purchases, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This decision follows the historical trend of limited trade between the two countries due to India’s trade practices. The implementation of this policy will impact trade relations. The process of establishing new trade agreements typically requires extensive negotiations and comprehensive analysis of the other country’s trade practices.
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It Sure Looks Like Trump Just Lost a Major Trade Deal, and frankly, it seems like a trend. You know, the whole “Art of the Deal” thing? Turns out, it’s looking more like the “Art of the Lost Deal.” It seems like the playbook involves a lot of bullying, blowing up established norms, and generally alienating potential partners. That might work in a reality show, but in the world of international trade, it appears to be a recipe for disaster.
He runs to his Twitter, or Temu Twitter as some might call it, and brags about how he’s got everyone “groveling at his feet.” Then, predictably, the other side walks away. It’s almost like he doesn’t understand the basics of negotiation. The whole thing seems less about securing favorable terms and more about… well, who knows? Maybe it’s a distraction.
One example that’s gaining traction is the situation with India. The narrative is that we’re not selling to India because their tariffs are too high. But then, the same person seems intent on cranking up our own tariffs! It’s mind-boggling. It’s like he doesn’t see that the same treatment will be the result. It makes you wonder if his advisors are any better.
And it’s not just India. There’s talk of deals with the EU and Japan that haven’t materialized, or are so far from reality as to be laughable. He promised an energy export of 150% of their current exports. Even in five years, that’s not feasible. It seems his understanding of these complex arrangements is…lacking. He appears to be failing at getting any reasonable trade deals done.
The impact isn’t just abstract economic theory, either. India is a major exporter of generic drugs. If tariffs go up, that means higher costs for insurance companies, which then get passed on to the consumer. So, we’re not just talking about higher prices for rice and other goods from India. We’re potentially talking about higher drug prices and higher insurance premiums.
It’s not just about the economics; there’s also a sense that he’s actively harming our allies. Instead of working collaboratively to find common ground, he seems intent on controlling other countries’ decisions. Then, he taxes American consumers as punishment. It’s a low-effort strategy, characteristic of a certain kind of enterprise.
And of course, there’s the whole Epstein situation. The speculation is that India might not be willing to make a deal until the Epstein files are released. Who would want to make a deal with that kind of person? It makes you wonder about the moral implications of his actions.
Let’s not forget that, in the grand scheme of things, he’s promised the moon, and delivered…well, not much. He seems to be losing every single trade deal. It’s a pattern that continues.
This goes beyond simply disagreeing on terms. There are allegations, and well, let’s be frank about it. He is who he is. And people are not putting up with it. It’s a complete disaster. And the whole thing feels less like a carefully constructed strategy and more like a chaotic free-for-all.