Donald Trump is back at it again, hammering the global trade system with his signature brand of economic nationalism. On Thursday, the former president doubled down on his push for “fair and reciprocal” trade, signing an executive order that could set off a chain reaction of tariffs, market turbulence, and rising consumer costs.
The idea? If another country slaps a tax on American goods, the U.S. will hit them right back with an equal punch. Sounds simple, right? But in the world of global trade, nothing is ever that clean-cut.
Wall Street, ever the gambler, shrugged off the news—at least for now. Stocks actually rose Thursday, as investors seemed more focused on the vague timeline of Trump’s tariff plans rather than the economic storm they could unleash down the line.
