Carl Zha - The Unraveling of Trump's Trade War with Dr. Warwick Powell

In this deep-dive episode of the Silk and Steel Podcast, host Carl Tsai is joined by Dr. Warwick Powell, an expert on supply chains, digital systems, and political economy. We break down the recent Trump-Xi summit, the second round of the U.S.-China trade war, and the surprising outcomes that signal a major walk-back by the Trump administration. Dr. Powell offers a razor-sharp analysis of why the tariff strategy has failed, the real-world consequences for global supply chains, and the deeper structural problems within the U.S. economy.

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction

01:22 - Dr. Warwick Powell's Background: Supply Chains, Digital Systems & Political Economy

02:48 - Breaking Down the Trump-Xi Summit & The 12-Month "Ceasefire"

06:10 - The Folly of "Trump Economics": Why Tariffs Failed to Reshore Industry

09:43 - The Real Trigger: BIS 50% Rule & The Nexperia Seizure

13:18 - Incoherent U.S. Policy: Lack of Strategic Coordination in the Trump Administration

17:00 - Will the Ceasefire Hold? The High Probability of Future Flare-ups

21:15 - A Full Walk-Back: Assessing the Damage and Trump's "Victory" Claim

25:45 - The Dutch Government's Blunder: A Cautionary Tale of Geopolitical Loyalty

30:30 - The Madness of Supply Chain Disruption: Real Impacts on Jobs and Livelihoods

33:50 - Why Was Trump Allowed to Wreak Havoc? The Role of Finance & Tech Capital

40:20 - The AI Bubble: Parallels to the Dot-Com Bust and Physical Constraints

45:35 - America's Energy Crisis: The Unsolvable Bottleneck for AI and Industry

52:10 - Can the U.S. Reindustrialize? The Systemic Barriers of Skills, Education, and Infrastructure

01:01:45 - Where to Find Dr. Warwick Powell's Work

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