Trump’s tariffs follow his predictable playbook
Brooklyn: President Trump is employing a tried-and-true tactic he used as a private businessman. He’d have contractors do construction at one of his ostentatious resorts. He’d invent some bogus reason to be dissatisfied with the work and offer a dime per dollar of the contracted price. The contractor would sue, but Trump’s lawyers were under instructions to delay, obfuscate, demand continuances and prolong the lawsuit to drive up his adversary’s legal fees.
This tactic was taught by Roy Cohn, his mentor, and is intended to take advantage of the glacial pace of our court system. Legal fees are one of the costs of doing business for Trump. He was confident that his deep pockets would compel the plaintiff to settle on his terms or risk going bankrupt. Many did.
This time using the economic might of the U.S. instead of his personal wealth as his bargaining chip, Trump is betting that tariffs he ordered will cause prices for American goods in targeted countries to rise to intolerable levels and force our customers to renegotiate trade deals in our favor. He was absent the day his Economics 101 professor taught that it is the consumers of the country imposing the tariff that pay the higher price for the imported goods, not consumers of the targeted country. Tariffs are a tit-for-tat and usually end in a zero-sum game. This situation always results in a recession caused by the sudden upheaval in prices for previously relatively inexpensive goods. Indeed, Wall Street plunged more than 1,000 points this week as a result of Trump’s arrogantly raising the tariff percentage to our ally Canada. As for Congress, the silence is deafening. Stan Rosenson
Economy crasher
Larchmont, N.Y.: In 2020, when Trump said, “If he’s elected, it will cause a market crash and a recession,” I thought he was talking about Joe Biden. It turns out he was talking about himself! Steve Michaud
Bullying backlash
Staten Island: Not only are we being taxed to death, but Con Edison will be raising its rates. It also would pass along the 25% increase Canada threatened to charge for the power it is providing to three states. Yes, we are one of those states. Didn’t Trump say Canada would not retaliate? Thomas Bell
Look within
Manhattan: U.S. stocks are headed toward their worst start to a presidency since 2009, when we were in the midst of the financial crisis. Trump continues to say tariffs will make us so rich that we’ll have so much money, we won’t know what to do with it. He’s a salesman in the most quintessentially American of traditions. Trump Tower, when it was built, was glitzy and gaudy on the exterior. The interiors, finishes and quality of construction left something to be desired. That’s a fair analogy for Trump’s life and career: enticing rhetoric and lofty promises that are totally detached from reality. Trumpers represented the most gullible demographic in America, and Trump knew how to exploit them. If you supported Trump, is it time to admit you were hosed? Daniel Dolgicer
Aid and comfort
Newton, N.J.: Voicer Rob Weissbard writes that “if advocating and supporting enemies of this country are not a reason for deportation, what is?” Leaving aside the fact that there is no evidence that Mahmoud Khalil supports Hamas and Hezbollah (which is protected free speech), let’s discuss Trump’s open support for Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, who are both sworn enemies of the United States, and his rejection of our allies (Canada, Mexico, NATO and, of course, Ukraine). But don’t let the truth get in the way of your MAGA-inspired hypocrisy, Rob. Michael Schnackenberg
Marriage migration
Brooklyn: If the GOP accuses Rep. Adriano Espaillat of being an “illegal immig” (“Dems rip GOPers calling Espaillat ‘illegal immig,’ ” March 7) someone (the press?) should remind them that Melania Trump came to the United States illegally and worked here illegally. Later she brought her family to the U.S. via chain migration. It’s all just more hypocrisy from the GOP and its president. Herman Kolender
No more NOAA?
Manhattan: I am appalled at what the Trump administration is doing to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This agency has provided free, widely used weather forecasts, helping communities prepare for hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, etc. The Union of Concerned Scientists recently delivered an open letter to Congress and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signed by thousands of experts (including myself) urging full funding and staffing for NOAA to protect its science. Trump and Elon Musk are following Project 2025, which calls for dismantling NOAA and privatizing weather forecasting. Privatizing NOAA’s data would weaken public safety and U.S. leadership in climate and ocean science. Dismantling NOAA means flying blind into climate crises; without its data, we would lack essential tools to track and respond to rising sea levels, worsening heatwaves, flooding and other climate disasters. NOAA is essential in fisheries and climate monitoring and research; it works with scientists worldwide to provide vital information. Judith S. Weis
Armed & dangerous
Manhattan: Keep in mind that these whackos also have control of the nuclear codes. Anne Stockton
See ya
Central Islip, L.I.: Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Trump won the election. Good riddance! Too bad she couldn’t move to Mars. Thomas Sarc
Won’t be missed
Long Beach, L.I.: Does anyone care that celebrities who made their millions in America are choosing to leave? They are all bent out of shape because their opinions were rejected by everyday Americans who voted for Trump and in favor of common sense. They don’t denounce the violence and destruction. So, bon voyage. Arlene Reilly
Junk stats
Manhattan: To Voicer Tripp Hoffmann: Your letter is 100% misleading and contains a statistic you must have hallucinated. Accidental ladder falls resulting in death numbered 300 last year. Where in heaven’s name did you get the statistic that said those deaths numbered far more than 50 years of measles? Did you get it when you studied at Trump University? If anyone has Trump Derangement Syndrome, it is you. You lie just like he does. Richard Simon
Worthless
Forest Hills: Somebody wants to put Trump’s picture on the $100 bill. This is a terrible idea. Everybody knows he belongs on the $3 bill. Alan Hirschberg
Keep costs down
Manhattan: As president of the New York City Black Chamber of Commerce, it is my job to economically empower and sustain African-American communities through entrepreneurship and business and help promote economic development to rebuild our communities. I’m constantly looking for ways to ease the serious financial pressures felt by local African-American-owned businesses. Lately, that means I spend a lot of time thinking about affordability, especially of necessities like health care. The price of medical care, including doctors, hospitals, medicine and medical equipment, has had overwhelming growth, much more than the rate of inflation, making it extremely difficult for our community to keep up. Albany has failed to address health care affordability. Businesspeople understand that insurance rates simply reflect the rising cost of care. The chamber has joined the Local Business Relief Coalition to offer reasonable solutions to runaway costs. We hope the governor and Legislature will enact these drastically needed reforms. Tosha Miller
Get vaxxed
Nutley, N.J.: To Voicer Joe Schatzle: I belong, along with you, to the large group of individuals who endured a few days of mild discomfort at home with measles and returned to school or work. I would like to include as new members in that group 124 cases just reported in west Texas. However, 18 of those cases are not eligible, since their infections were serious enough to require hospitalization. Most regrettably are the two individuals who will never belong to that large group of measles survivors, one an unvaccinated school-age child in Texas, and the other an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. The latter perished, although the exact cause of death is under investigation. So yes, please let’s get the MMR vaccination if you haven’t already. Peter Griswold
Streamed out
Saddle Brook, N.J.: I always enjoy watching the Big East Tournament, especially this year with St. John’s University doing so well, but now it’s on Peacock, so I can’t watch it. Thanks to whoever made that decision. Bill Homisak