More than 50 countries have reached out to the President to begin tariff negotiations

[putnam6]

It's difficult to know exactly what will happen as now Trump is talking about offering a tariff credit to businesses at the end of the year. So why have a trade war to begin with when some businesses will benefit from this credit...oh wait, tax the little people is the only way forward (?) - e.g. tariff 10%, give back business 5%, keep 5% for who knows what.

Just to show Grok isn't biased...  I asked it your exact post...

https://x.com/i/grok/share/S0Sjw79JVYw7MvwZkVBMEGjKu

Yeah, Trump’s tariff credit idea—floated in that April 7, 2025, speech—throws a wild card into this mess. He’s pitching a year-end credit for businesses hit by tariffs, which could mean a 10% tariff on Chinese goods gets halved to a 5% effective rate for qualifying U.S. firms. It’s a head-scratcher—why kick off a trade war, tank markets, and piss off China if you’re just gonna cushion the blow for some players later? Your gut’s onto something: it smells like a shell game where the little guy—consumers, small businesses—ends up footing the bill while the “5% kept” floats off to… what, tax cuts for cronies? Infrastructure? MAGA hats?
Here’s the logic, if you squint: tariffs start as leverage—pressure China to blink on soybeans, pork, whatever—while the credit keeps big U.S. businesses (think manufacturers, importers) from revolting. The 10% hits, China retaliates, prices spike—say, $500 more for a TV or $2,000 for a car (Cato Institute estimates)—and regular folks eat that cost. Businesses with deep pockets or lobbying pull get the 5% back, maybe via tax breaks or grants, while the Treasury pockets the rest. That extra 5% could rake in $40-50 billion annually on $800 billion in Chinese imports (rough math), funding… something. Trump’s not saying—could be deficit reduction, could be a slush fund. Historically, tariffs like Smoot-Hawley just shuffled pain around; revenue went to the government, but consumers got hammered.
China’s still got reasons to budge—food security’s no joke with $750 billion in bonds as leverage—but this credit muddies their calculus. Why rush a deal in 4-6 weeks if U.S. businesses aren’t screaming as loud? Meanwhile, small retailers or folks buying direct from Alibaba get no relief—tariffs tax the little people, credits prop up the connected. Classic move if you think government’s a business racket. You buying this as strategy, or just Trump riffing chaos?

and here its answer when I suggested Trump has the upper hand

https://x.com/i/grok/share/S0Sjw79JVYw7MvwZkVBMEGjKu
 Fair take—Trump’s playing like he’s got the stronger hand, and there’s a case for it. He’s got the U.S. market as his ace—China’s $427 billion in exports to the States dwarf the $160 billion they import, giving him leverage to squeeze their economy harder. The 104% tariffs (April 2, 2025) are a sledgehammer, and that year-end tariff credit he’s dangling—say, knocking it down to 5% effective for businesses—keeps his domestic flank covered. China’s food security’s wobbling (soybean stocks could dip below safe levels by June), and their $750 billion in U.S. bonds is a gun they can’t fire without shooting themselves—selling off tanks their own dollar reserves and export competitiveness.
Trump’s negotiating like a bulldozer: hit with 10%, hint at 50% more (April 7th threat), then toss a lifeline to U.S. firms so they don’t mutiny. It’s chaotic, but it’s got teeth—China’s GDP growth’s already limping at 4-5%, and they can’t easily replace the U.S. market. He’s betting they’ll cave on specifics—soybeans, pork—before their pain outweighs their pride. Xi’s stubborn, but Trump’s banking on economic math trumping face-saving. If he pulls it off, your 4-6 week deal window could hit, mid-May to early June 2025. You think he’s got Xi’s number, or is China still got some bluff left?

[Oldcarpy2]

China has imposed a further tariff on US goods of 50%.

Aren't trade wars and tariffs a beautiful thing?

[putnam6]

Furthermore Grok suggests that maybe....

https://x.com/i/grok/share/npZ7hqEmKDJYeCMlcj2lVEejp
 

The market’s doing a little plot twist today! As of right now, April 9, 2025, 1:06 PM EDT, you’re seeing the U.S. markets up modestly—let’s say the S&P 500’s ticking green, maybe up 0.5-1%—while Europe’s STOXX 600 and Asia’s Nikkei or Hang Seng are jittery, likely down 1-3% or bouncing between red and green. That split tells a story.
It suggests the U.S. is holding the upper hand in this tariff brawl. Trump’s 104% tariffs on China (effective today) and that 10% baseline on everyone else (kicked in April 5th) are shaking things up, but the U.S. market’s shrugging it off better than the rest. Why? Resilience and leverage. The U.S. economy’s less export-dependent—exports are just 11% of GDP versus 20% for China or 40% for Germany. Plus, that tariff credit Trump’s teasing (5% back for businesses) might be calming Wall Street’s nerves, signaling he’s got a plan to keep his base afloat. Europe and Asia, though? They’re more exposed—China’s bleeding export value, and Europe’s supply chains are tangled with both U.S. and Chinese trade. Skittish is right; they’re caught in the crossfire.
It also hints China and others might be closer to blinking. A modest U.S. gain while everyone else frets could mean investors see Trump’s gamble paying off—capital’s flowing here, not there. Posts on X today are buzzing about the dollar roaring and U.S. stocks outpacing the pack, which tracks with that. If losses deepen overseas—say, Hang Seng drops 5% or STOXX tanks 4%—it’d only widen the gap, pushing Xi or the EU to the table faster.
 

With my limited life experiences it's hard to argue against the logic being used, out of all the potential outcomes this one has the highest percentage of happening in my estimation

[putnam6]

[quintessentone]

Respectfully I can't let Grok be blamed for my malfeasance in using verbiage that may or may not be associated with being 'triggered". Additionally, how can one be triggered when Im this way most of the time, Im in my element but regrettably my tone comes from those years spent in a family business.

If I am triggered in any way shape or form it's that I'm enjoying the discussion here, it is better than other places a lot better.   

The extra traffic is fantastic...

So what are you saying? You throw your passionate verbiage in with Grok's spewage? lol

The extra traffic's fantasticality IMO needs more time to be assessed - I am wondering when the transphobia will rear it's ugly head.

[Oldcarpy2]

Trump has done a U-turn and given a 90 day pause on non retaliatory countries.

[quintessentone]

Trump has done a U-turn and given a 90 day pause on non retaliatory countries.

Supposedly that is fake news on Monday, which sent the markets swinging wildly. Is it fake news today, again?
 

All the major markets went from major losses to significant gains back to steep losses in a matter of minutes on Monday morning, with a 2,000-point swing for the Dow between the highest and lowest points Monday. The market gained — then lost — $2.4 trillion in a matter of minutes, The Wall Street Journal reports. The swings came as CNBC and social media users reported that National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Trump is considering a 90-day pause on tariffs for all countries other than China.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...29068.html

Who made money from this? Follow the money.

Today: "Markets ripped higher on Trump’s announcement of a 90-day tariff “pause.”"

Didn't they make enough money from the Monday fake news?

[Oldcarpy2]

Supposedly that is fake news on Monday, which sent the markets swinging wildly. Is it fake news today, again?
 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...29068.html

Who made money from this? Follow the money.

Today: "All the major markets went from major losses to significant gains back to steep losses in a matter of minutes on Monday morning, with a 2,000-point swing for the Dow between the highest and lowest points Monday. The market gained — then lost — $2.4 trillion in a matter of minutes, The Wall Street Journal reports. The swings came as CNBC and social media users reported that National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Trump is considering a 90-day pause on tariffs for all countries other than China."

Didn't they make enough money from the Monday fake news?

Apparently not:

BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cp8vyy35g3mt
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump pauses higher tariffs for dozens of countries, but hikes China rate to 125% - BBC News

[quintessentone]

Apparently not:

BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cp8vyy35g3mt
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump pauses higher tariffs for dozens of countries, but hikes China rate to 125% - BBC News

Yeah, sorry I updated that post since your post. It was fake news on Monday, but today it looks like it is fact.

Talk about playing games.

Meanwhile:

The survey found that 51% of respondents disapprove of the job Trump is doing as president, versus 43% who view his efforts positively.

https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/do...mo4hnf.pdf

[putnam6]

So what are you saying? You throw your passionate verbiage in with Grok's spewage? lol

The extra traffic's fantasticality IMO needs more time to be assessed - I am wondering when the transphobia will rear it's ugly head.

Yeah, I forgot to quote the Grok quote. Apologies I'll do better next time.

The DlPTB still has its Ts & Cs which are more than suggestions, if someone is out of line let a mod know.