President Donald Trump’s sweeping new round of tariffs was met with deep opposition from critics on social media Thursday night.
Trump’s sweeping executive order slapped substantial new tariffs on imports from numerous U.S. trading partners. The new “reciprocal” tariffs affect dozens of countries and range from 10% to as high as 41%. They’re set to go into effect in a week.
Canada was hit with a steep 35% tariff on many goods, with the White House blaming Canada’s “continued inaction and retaliation.” Brazil was slapped with a 50% tariff, India faces a 25% tariff, and Taiwan was hit with a 20% tariff.
The internet collectively groaned at Trump’s new order.
Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, wrote on X, “The hike in US tariffs to 35% will harm small businesses on both sides of the border. The fentanyl rationale is even more ridiculous than the decision itself.”
“The worst outcome for Canada is a bad deal. But the second worst outcome is ongoing uncertainty over Canada-US trade. This is what small business owners now face,” Kelly said.
Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, simply reacted, “oof.”
“Hard to pick just one, but I think the Iraq 35% is my personal favorite. Venezuela at a mere 15% is also particularly silly. And Switzerland at 39% is just wild,” Lincicome wrote in a separate post.
Joey Politano, author of the “Apricitas Economics” newsletter, wrote on X: “Here’s what Trump’s new tariff hikes look like—another 5% on major allies like the EU, Japan, & South Korea. Another 10% on large trading partners like India, Vietnam, & Canada. Some rather insane choices like 39% tariffs on Switzerland, 41% on Syria, and of course 50% on Brazil.”
Shane Wright, national economics correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, noted on X that the tariffs were. deemed necessary as trade deficits are an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy.”
“Yet for those countries the US runs a trade surplus with, get hit with a 10% tariff. It’s simply a tax on US consumers,” said Wright.
The Republicans against Trump account, meanwhile, mocked Trump over the tariffs.