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Trump's erratic tariff announcements are a stock profiteering scheme [1]
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Date: 2025-04-08
The claim that Trump's erratic tariff announcements and actions are intended to increase manufacturing is a blatantly false narrative. When it commonly takes 5 years to set up a factory, the idea that people will build more factories when they can't predict either the cost of their supplies or the prices they will be able to charge for their products is laughable.
So, if the purpose of the tariffs and trade wars isn't to increase manufacturing, what is the purpose?
The simplest answer is to profit from wild stock market swings by giving Trump's insiders advance notice of the public announcements. It's hard to think of a better time to buy stocks than an hour before Trump announces easing of tariffs. It's hard to think of a better time to sell stocks than an hour before Trump announces increasing tariffs. It's such an easy way to make money that it's silly to think Trump and his cronies aren't doing it.
Besides profiteering, there are bonuses like showing the world that Trump can screw any country he wants whenever he wants. Then there's the pain he causes to people, since abuse is one of his favorite past-times. And many businessmen like high unemployment and the accompanying low wages and reduced worker power, which will be an outcome of the trade wars. While tariffs contribute to the treasury, it's unlikely that is anything more than a red herring, given that the IRS is being disabled at the same time.
As far as downsides, there aren't many. The professional, educated class will complain when their investments lose value, but the cult will stay loyal and enjoy hearing the complaints. Many will lose their jobs and fall deeper into poverty, but most of them will blame it on Biden or Ukraine or who knows what. Some billionaires won't like the recession, but most will recognize it as an opportunity to buy up real estate and businesses at pennies on the dollar. The corporate media loves disasters, so they will issue their reports and pretend to cry all the way to the bank, while promoting the myth of long term manufacturing goals in order to keep the grift going.
Most indicators point to an indefinite period of chaos and lots of pain for little people.
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