Trump’s Tariff Gamble: “We Will Drill” Meets “They Deserve It”
Back in August 2024, on the campaign trail, Donald Trump made a bold promise: prices would drop starting “day one” of his presidency. His plan? Ramp up American oil production and slash dependence on foreign trade. “We will drill, baby, drill,” he declared to a cheering crowd, reviving the energy-driven mantra of his earlier runs.
But since returning to the White House, Trump has taken a sharply different path—waging an aggressive tariff war. On April 2, he announced a sweeping 10% tariff on imports from most countries, set to take effect July 9 unless new trade deals are struck. That comes on top of existing 25% duties on key imports like steel, aluminum, and automobiles—penalizing countries like China, Mexico, and Canada most.
China hit back fast, raising its tariffs on U.S. goods to a staggering 125%. The European Union, meanwhile, is preparing its own countermeasures. Yet Trump remains unapologetic. In an interview with ABC’s Terry Moran, he brushed aside fears of rising prices on everyday goods, from clothes to consumer tech. “That’s good… they deserve it,” he said flatly, referring to China. “At 145, they basically can’t do much business with the United States. They were ripping us off like nobody’s ever ripped us off.”
He widened the scope of blame, accusing “almost every country in the world” of exploiting the U.S. through unfair trade. But Beijing has shown no signs of blinking, accusing Washington of abusing tariff policy and escalating economic tensions.
Still, Trump insists Americans are unbothered by the fallout. “The country’s doing great,” he said in an April 29 sit-down. “Wait till you see the real numbers come out in six months.” To him, the tariffs are overdue justice—his answer to decades of what he brands “trading abuse.”
