Trump’s $35 Trillion China Divorce Is His Most Costly

**bacchys** · 09-08-2020, 08:36 AM

By now, Donald Trump’s various divorces and questionable business dealings are well-known and widely analyzed traits of his Art of the Deal presidency.

Little did China’s Xi Jinping know that these character flaws are also the core elements of Trump’s coming assault on the No. 2 economy. And, by extension, the rest of the globe.

Trump has been poking China for years, of course. The trade war he launched in early 2018 earned Trump’s White House roughly nothing. The U.S. trade deficit with China barely budged. Farm bankruptcies are up despite more than $30 billion of public bailouts to offset Trump’s tariffs. Now even Trump’s modest “phase one” trade deal with China is flatlining.

Where to now? Doubling down strongly, as Trump might say. With his poll numbers cratering, Trump has settled on a bash-China reelection strategy ahead of Nov. 3. Though its breadth is still somewhat of a mystery, Trump’s comments over the weekend suggest he’s planning his next divorce.

More after the cut. Trump's idiocy and ignorance on trade, along with his anti-capitalism, threatens more than just the current world order. Weakening the dollar in a mercantilist attack on China threatens the dollar's position as the world reserve currency, and if we're not the world reserve currency we could rapidly become like Zimbabwe or Argentina in their hyperinflation crises.

On edit: here's the link

https://www.forbes.com/sites/william.../#49f4b8d4565e

My apologies. I thought I'd included it.

**BustOfPallas** · 09-08-2020, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by bacchys

More after the cut. Trump's idiocy and ignorance on trade, along with his anti-capitalism, threatens more than just the current world order. Weakening the dollar in a mercantilist attack on China threatens the dollar's position as the world reserve currency, and if we're not the world reserve currency we could rapidly become like Zimbabwe or Argentina in their hyperinflation crises.

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Link please. They sometimes are sticklers here for dropping content on here without attribution. It also helps provide context.

Thanks.

**NCRAVEN** · 09-08-2020, 11:00 AM

Poll numbers cratering? He’s above 50% in some (I heard).

Anyway, what are we supposed to do, let China manipulate their currency and hold us hostage because they manufacture most of our drugs etc?

China and the CCP are the number one issue for me. I don’t Biden do anything if he even knows whether their a problem or not.

**Dirt1** · 09-08-2020, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

Poll numbers cratering? He’s above 50% in some (I heard).

Anyway, what are we supposed to do, let China manipulate their currency and hold us hostage because they manufacture most of our drugs etc?

China and the CCP are the number one issue for me. I don’t Biden do anything if he even knows whether their a problem or not.

I have also felt that Trump has been tough with China, but now I am not so sure. Our trade deficit with China hasn’t really changed in the past four years, and Trump hasn’t really done anything in response to China’s actions in Hong Kong or their aggressive actions building islands in the South China Sea. There is no coherent policy regarding China backing up Trump’s rhetoric. Mean tweets may work with Congressional Republicans, but will not work with foreign governments.

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**BustOfPallas** · 09-08-2020, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

I have also felt that Trump has been tough with China, but now I am not so sure. Our trade deficit with China hasn’t really changed in the past four years, and Trump hasn’t really done anything in response to China’s actions in Hong Kong or their aggressive actions building islands in the South China Sea. There is no coherent policy regarding China backing up Trump’s rhetoric. Mean tweets may work with Congressional Republicans, but will not work with foreign governments.

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It's funny to hear someone blaming Trump for the South China sea buildup. The Spratly Islands were not built out under Trump.

**Dirt1** · 09-08-2020, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

It's funny to hear someone blaming Trump for the South China sea buildup. The Spratly Islands were not built out under Trump.

I am not blaming Trump for the South China Sea buildup. I am blaming him for the lack of response to that buildup. He has been the President for almost 4 years now. This is happening on his watch.

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**owknows** · 09-08-2020, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

I am not blaming Trump for the South China Sea buildup. I am blaming him for the lack of response to that buildup. He has been the President for almost 4 years now. This is happening on his watch.

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Realistically though, hasn't the left political establishment been screaming "XENOPHOBE" and attempting to undercut Trump at every step of the way?

I think we agree that something needs to be done... but hasn't Pelosi made that completely impossible?

**BearArms** · 09-08-2020, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

Poll numbers cratering? He’s above 50% in some (I heard).

Anyway, what are we supposed to do, let China manipulate their currency and hold us hostage because they manufacture most of our drugs etc?

China and the CCP are the number one issue for me. I don’t Biden do anything if he even knows whether their a problem or not.

Biden helped build China's economy, and got his family filthy rich in shady business

**Dirt1** · 09-08-2020, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by owknows

Realistically though, hasn't the left political establishment been screaming "XENOPHOBE" and attempting to undercut Trump at every step of the way?

I think we agree that something needs to be done... but hasn't Pelosi made that completely impossible?

Honestly, I think Trump is running the risk of being viewed as a paper tiger internationally. Almost any other President would have responded to China’s actions in Hong Kong and the South China Sea. We haven’t even gotten into the feckless response to North Korea’s actions. Trump can’t just keep blaming other people. He has been the President for almost 4 years. He has to take responsibility for what has happened on his watch.

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**BustOfPallas** · 09-08-2020, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

I am not blaming Trump for the South China Sea buildup. I am blaming him for the lack of response to that buildup. He has been the President for almost 4 years now. This is happening on his watch.

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I'm sure Biden will take care of it.

**Dirt1** · 09-08-2020, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I'm sure Biden will take care of it.

Perhaps he will. I know that Trump hasn’t addressed these issues during his Presidency. Apparently, mean tweets is all Trump has.

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**blah3** · 09-08-2020, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

Honestly, I think Trump is running the risk of being viewed as a paper tiger internationally. Almost any other President would have responded to China’s actions in Hong Kong and the South China Sea. We haven’t even gotten into the feckless response to North Korea’s actions. Trump can’t just keep blaming other people. He has been the President for almost 4 years. He has to take responsibility for what has happened on his watch.

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Seems trump has been more assertive than the previous admin

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/y...uth-china-sea/