(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Amnesia in the Oval: How the "Fairest Deal Ever" Became Trump's Latest Enemy [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-07-12

Oh, What a Tangled Web of Tariffs We Weave: Trump's Amnesiac Flip-Flop on the "Greatest Deal Ever"

Remember back in 2020, when Donald Trump was practically doing cartwheels over the USMCA, that shiny replacement for the "disastrous" NAFTA? Ah, yes, the glory days. At the signing ceremony, he gushed that it was "the largest, fairest, most balanced, and modern trade agreement ever achieved." A "colossal victory for our farmers, ranchers, energy workers, factory workers, and American workers in all 50 states." He even bragged it was "a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art agreement that protects, defends, and serves the great people of our country." Sounds like the trade equivalent of a fairy-tale ending, right?

Fast-forward to his second term in 2025, and suddenly, this masterpiece of negotiation has morphed into a villainous plot device, apparently riddled with holes big enough for fentanyl smugglers and migrant caravans to waltz through. This week, Trump slapped a 35% tariff on Canadian goods and a 30% on Mexican ones—because why not rewrite history on a whim? One has to wonder: Did the former president suffer a bout of selective amnesia, or is this just the latest episode in the reality show where trade policy is dictated by whatever mood strikes him over morning covfefe?

From "Colossal Victory" to "National Emergency"

Let's contrast this fresh batch of tariff tantrums with the golden oldies from his first administration. Back then, the USMCA was hailed as a "massive win for American manufacturers and autoworkers," replacing a deal that "rewarded outsourcing" with something "truly fair and reciprocal." It even got a nod from the AFL-CIO, a first in decades!

But now, in 2025, Trump is railing against Canada and Mexico for allegedly flooding the U.S. with drugs and immigrants, as if the ink on that "state-of-the-art" agreement dried into invisibility. In a recent letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump fumed, "The United States imposed Tariffs on Canada to deal with our Nation’s Fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Canada’s failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our Country." He added that instead of cooperating, Canada "retaliated with its own tariffs," so bam—35% it is, starting August 1.

For Mexico, it's the same song: cartels, fentanyl labs, and an "invasion" of illegal aliens that apparently slipped right past the USMCA's vaunted protections. He even declared, "We'll be announcing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a number of reasons. Number one is the people who have poured into our country so horribly and so much. Number two are the drugs—fentanyl and everything else that have come into the country. And number three are the massive subsidies we are giving to Canada and Mexico in the form of deficits." Deficits? Weren't those supposed to be fixed by the "fairest" deal ever?

The Convenient Amnesia of Policy

How convenient that the reasons now—fentanyl flows, migrant "invasions," and trade imbalances—weren't deal-breakers five years ago when he was popping champagne corks over the USMCA. Back then, it was all about empowering American workers and ending outsourcing. Today, it's a national emergency because, as Trump put it, "Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels."

Never mind that experts and data show Canada's role in fentanyl smuggling is negligible (less than 1% of seizures at the northern border), and overdose deaths have been dropping anyway. Or that the USMCA includes chapters on labor, environment, and even digital trade, but apparently not a magical force field against synthetic opioids. No, instead of leveraging the agreement's dispute mechanisms or, heaven forbid, diplomacy, Trump opts for the nuclear option: tariffs that could jack up prices on everything from Canadian lumber and dairy to Mexican avocados and autos.

The Art of the Deal, or the Art of the Whim?

Ah, but sarcasm demands we ponder the real mystery: Does Trump even remember his own hype? One minute, the USMCA is a "colossal victory"; the next, it's so porous that we need 35% walls of tariffs to plug the gaps. Perhaps it's just senior moments in the Oval Office, or maybe the deal was only "great" until it wasn't politically expedient.

And let's not forget his dangling carrot: "If Canada works with me to stop the flow of Fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter." How generous—cooperate on my terms, or else. This isn't policy; it's playground bullying, where negotiations are tossed aside for Twitter-era (sorry, X-era) threats.

Of course, Trump will likely change his mind again. He's already paused tariffs before, exempted USMCA-compliant goods here and there, and floated adjustments "upward or downward, depending on our relationship." Remember when he threatened 25% on everything from Canada and Mexico back in February, only to carve out exemptions after a phone call or two? By next month, who knows? Maybe it'll be 50% because someone served him a cold Big Mac. This chaotic non-policy—ditching diplomacy for daily whims— is a masterclass in how to alienate allies, spike inflation, and make America the laughingstock of global summits.

The Tangible Costs of Chaos

The harm? Oh, it's deliciously predictable. These tariffs could add $1,200 to the average household's costs annually, fueling inflation on groceries, cars, and building materials just when the economy was chugging along. Retaliation from Canada and Mexico is already brewing, with billions in countermeasures that hit U.S. farmers and manufacturers right where it hurts. And internationally? We're embarrassing ourselves, turning reliable partners into adversaries while China watches with popcorn. Trump's "America First" mantra now reads like "America Isolated," disgracing our reputation as a stable superpower. But hey, at least it's entertaining—if you enjoy economic whiplash.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/12/2333042/-Amnesia-in-the-Oval-How-the-Fairest-Deal-Ever-Became-Trump-s-Latest-Enemy?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/