What does US President Donald Trump really want?
We know it is not duty-free access to our market, because Vietnam offered exactly that and still got 20% tariffs.
Trump can move trade to a surplus by blocking the imports of Platinum Group Metals and gold, but obviously he won’t do that.
Or does this have nothing at all to do with trade, much like his threats to Canada for sending fentanyl into America, a product exported in far greater volumes from the US to Canada. We should thank our lucky stars that Trump is not eyeing SA as his 52nd state.
In response to the Brics+ meeting, Trump has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on any country that says anything he finds disagreeable.
- Read the full opinion piece by Donald MacKay in our Columns section.
