Weaponised trade? The unfolding fallout of Trump’s policy
Whether his politicisation of economics is a temporary departure or a permanent approach will shape US prosperity and the global trading system for years to come
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US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s second-term trade policy marks a fundamental departure from economic orthodoxy, explicitly subordinating trade to political objectives.
Rather than treating trade policy as a purely economic domain governed by efficiency and comparative advantage, his administration is wielding tariffs and trade rules as tools of statecraft. This is reshaping the relationship between economic policy and political strategy.
Trump’s use of national emergency declarations to justify sweeping tariff measures exemplifies this politicisation. Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act represents a significant expansion of executive power, transforming legislative and regulatory processes into a presidential prerogative.
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