US-Led Cooperation Beats Conflict Every Time
This isn’t just about trade. The ability to command loyalty and support among like-minded democracies is a vital national asset.
The world is watching.
Photographer: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The US has slapped new tariffs on a range of imports and promises more — much more — later today. As investors steel themselves, one thing should be understood. Whether milder than expected or as aggressive as feared, a policy that expressly declares trade war on friends as well as enemies, scorning them all as parasites leeching off America, is profoundly opposed to the country’s interests.
The US is, unprompted, destroying its ability to command loyalty and support among like-minded democracies — and with that its power to lead progress through cooperation. It threatens to be a historic error.