With A Friend Like Trump, Australia Doesn't Need Enemies

One of America's closest allies, Australia, has been slapped with a 25% tariff on aluminium and steel exports to the USA. This follows Trump's pattern of penalizing his friends. He stuck it to Canada, and now Australia is in the firing line. The crazy thing is that America has a trade surplus of $18 billion with Australia. When it comes to Canada, if you take out oil and natural gas, the U.S. actually has a $58 billion surplus concerning Canada.

Despite Trump's claims, U.S. doesn't really have a trade deficit with Canada. Here's why

Some may say he's playing hardball; I say it smacks of irrationality. Why alienate your friends? In Trump's case it's because you can. Trump also commonly exaggerates, and to be diplomatic, he often outright lies when he says things like America is subsiding Canada each year. There's an easy fix, President Trump. Use your own oil instead of importing Canadian oil.

Trump reminds me of a hyperactive kid doing something to be seen doing something. That's the easy stuff, writing Presidential Executive orders and slapping tariffs. The rationale for tariffs on Australia is so lame; we don't export fentanyl to the U.S. Even the amount coming through Canada is actually relatively small. You see, it's easy to blame outsiders for your internal problems. Yes, the illegal importation of drugs from Mexico is a problem. However, the U.S. creates the demand. The U.S. is the world's leading consumer of drugs, both legal and illegal. The problem is the drug culture, so stop blaming that on every other country, Mr President.

Trump is attacking his friends and yet being friendly with his enemies. When it comes to an enemy like Hamas, it's bombastic statements like "There'll be hell to pay." Except there never is hell paid by Hamas. In fact the U.S. is in negotiations with Hamas. Another enemy whose stated goal is America's destruction is Iran. Yet, Trump is offering negotiations, which is what Obama did. Negotiating with terrorists or terror states never works out well.

Australia has been a dedicated friend to America. It fought alongside the U.S. in both World Wars. Australia was one of the few big supporters of America in the Vietnam War. The country lost more than 500 dead and over 3,000 wounded. "All the way with LBJ" was a famous statement then.

Australia also played a pivotal role in the 1969 Apollo moon landing. Radio telescopes at Honeysuckle Creek and Parkes observators transmitted global live pictures from the moon.

Slapping tariffs on goods from other countries raises the price of the goods for American consumers—it's like imposing an added tax. Alienating other countries angers the citizens of those countries, which will probably hurt the American tourist industry. Also, what do you think some countries are going to do, as they have already in many cases? They will embrace countries like China. 

Interestingly, Trump has been signing all these executive orders and imposing tariffs. Still, when it comes to one critical topic, he is silent. Suppose Trump is so worried about the American people. Why doesn't he come out and impose, at the very least, a moratorium on the COVID shots? Where are you on this, President Trump? You undoubtedly know by now that Operation Warp Speed was fraudulently imposed on your people, and you must know that many thousands have died. 

This came out in a recent interview with COVID expert Dr Peter McCullough.

Where are you, President Trump? I can't hear you! Of course, we get nothing. Trump is too egocentric to admit that the vaccination program was a disaster. It's crickets from Mr Trump. It's easier to make the false claim that America is being ripped off by Australia. The problem is that he gets away with it because we have a weak-kneed Prime Minister who wants to get along and won't rock the boat.