The U.S. Trade Deficit and Global Economic Dynamics

At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, the Trump administration maintained that it would impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada on Feb. 1. This comes after announcing a 10 percent duty on China earlier in the week. Trade and capital expert Brad Setser is skeptical that it will follow through, though, saying that the economic ramifications of tariffs at that scale would be a “ pretty bloody big shock.” Setser sits down with host Ravi Agrawal to share more.

Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):

Aaron L. Friedberg: Tariffs Are a Scalpel, Not a Hammer

Wendy Cutler: How Trump Could Strike a Trade Deal With China

Keith Johnson: How to Read Trump’s Day-One Trade Actions

Scott Kennedy: Markets Are Underpricing the Possibility of a U.S.-China Economic War

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