I've seen tragic moments in American history. (Shootings of MLK and RFK in 1968.) I've seen infuriating moments. (Bush v Gore 2000. 'Weapons of mass destruction' 2002-2003.) But I can't recall a moment as flat-out stupid as Trump's tariff declaration. - ThreadSky

jfallows.bsky.social • 34 days ago

I've seen tragic moments in American history. (Shootings of MLK and RFK in 1968.)

I've seen infuriating moments. (Bush v Gore 2000. 'Weapons of mass destruction' 2002-2003.)

But I can't recall a moment as flat-out stupid as Trump's tariff declaration.

Comments

sturmyweather.bsky.social•34 days ago

Hey don’t cut Congress so much slack.

klarebere.bsky.social•34 days ago

If it’s intentional destruction of America, then Krasnov’s actions make sense. If it’s not, then he’s crazy. We’re in big trouble either way. Especially because MAGA Republicans in the legislature are 100% complicit in the harm.

boboinparadise.bsky.social•34 days ago

Iraq Invasion is almost as dumb.

rynopaul.bsky.social•34 days ago

All those bad things were caused by RepubliCONs

misterbrixster.bsky.social•34 days ago

What stops Trump from now manipulating individual stocks by peeling away at these tariffs, company by company, all the while making himself and accomplices filthy rich with prior knowledge of who and when it would happen?

deboraht.bsky.social•34 days ago

Nothing.

flerkin206.bsky.social•33 days ago

Pretty sure that’s the plan.

zen1924.bsky.social•34 days ago

There is a reason though. As awful as this is, he has his reasons. Bring in money to find tax breaks for billionaires

eunicecycle.bsky.social•34 days ago

I don't think it will work the way he thinks it will.

joecgiles.bsky.social•34 days ago

Fascist billionaires and foreign adversaries worked for decades for this level of US self-sabotage.

eunicecycle.bsky.social•34 days ago

I just don't see how this is a win for ANYBODY, though. When the economy collapses there won't be $$ for SpaceX or Starlink. Or any billionaires' grift.

388shark.bsky.social•34 days ago

He’s just OLD and stupid.

socialgreedia.bsky.social•34 days ago

Neither can I.

Neither can anyone else.

hobogue.bsky.social•34 days ago

But can you explain how the entire GOP lines up to support Dear Leader?
What ever happened to fiscal hawks?

kathyswords.bsky.social•34 days ago

Me either.

fryaduck.bsky.social•34 days ago

The stupid is great in Merica. Tarrifs are great for Aussies because we still won't buy US Beef (Mad Cow - Biosecurity) and we'll have cheaper Aussie Wagu Beef.

davidmt.bsky.social•34 days ago

gastropoda.bsky.social•34 days ago

Best part is that it was “the party of business” that foisted this con man on America.

profsjw.bsky.social•34 days ago

From the day of his inauguration a month & a half ago, he's been aiming to drive us over a cliff. As of midnight, we're airborne.

canadajim.bsky.social•34 days ago

passj.bsky.social•34 days ago

So true. This is absolutely the most stupid move I can remember, but he has made so many other stupid moves. This has to be the most destructive presidency ever!!

eskgulfstream.bsky.social•34 days ago

Not to worry, tomorrow he will do something even dumber. Count on it.

solarpons83.bsky.social•34 days ago

That’s saying something!!!!

donnaenn.bsky.social•34 days ago

FOLLOW THE MONEY. Trump will impose tariffs and give carve outs and subsidies all to grant favor to his rich friends, punish rich people who have not yet publicly pledged fealty AND IN ALL CASES PUNISH 99% OF AMERICANS.

dmartinfahey.bsky.social•34 days ago

It’s absolutely stunning to see this insane policy being rolled out based on the whims of one uninformed politician, considering that our founders intentionally built into the constitution balances of power that would make drastic policy changes very difficult.
Congress has abdicated.

flerkin206.bsky.social•33 days ago

Good luck clawing that power back. It won’t happen with Trump or any Republican in office. They’ll hold on to the power for themselves and make a Dem administration relinquish it. Dems always fixing what the GOP breaks.

truth-consequences.bsky.social•34 days ago

Well, telling people to inject themselves with bleach has to be a runner up.

zillyons.bsky.social•34 days ago

Signalgate is pretty f*ing stupid though. And as other commenters are pointing out, there will likely be stupider moments to come from this dumpster fire of a presidency.

bayeralex.bsky.social•34 days ago

It’s a symptom of a failed state. It’s a sundowning nation that no longer has a stake in global prosperity

atqueens.bsky.social•34 days ago

Election day 2016, election day 2024, when the most ignorant people voted for the stupidest person.

davidicouldbewrong.bsky.social•34 days ago

It is stupidity. https://cbwrong.blogspot.com/2025/04/we-are-fascist-state-when-we-have-ice.html?m=1

3fecta.bsky.social•34 days ago

So far. So far.

crickettehkm.bsky.social•34 days ago

Are there odds on when he changes his mind?

themockers.bsky.social•34 days ago

Or Americans voting for him again.

dougfromdc.bsky.social•34 days ago

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Trump may have just demolished the U.S. economy in an afternoon.

jcfrandsen.bsky.social•34 days ago

There’s been plenty of shoot-yourself-in-the-foot stupid and a fair amount of policy stupid (ketchup is a vegetable, something seniors hated so much Congress had to reverse it), but monumental, near suicidal stupidity on a literal global scale? Nothing compares.

suz-chatt.bsky.social•34 days ago

I'm with you there.

mysteryshopper.bsky.social•34 days ago

I understand the Midwest wanting to revive industry. However, the sales taxes Trump is adding isn't intended to do that. It's intended to raise revenue so they can lower other taxes. They fully intend to keep importing, hoping other countries will devalue their currencies to offset Trump tax.

mwilbert.bsky.social•34 days ago

It's like Brexit on steroids. Which was the previous apex unforced economic error (in a developed country) in my lifetime.

muchacho.bsky.social•34 days ago

Firing all those people at the NIH, CDC, USAID, FAA, NNSA, IRS, and so many other important agencies is up there too. It’s shocking that we get two calamitous events so close together.

nonviolentprotest.bsky.social•34 days ago

Distracting us from SAVE Act being voted on next week? Or from the fact that we will not know which District we will be in for Hunger Games, AmeriKKKa

mattmccarthy.bsky.social•34 days ago

Just a few years after I voted for W at 19, "WMDs" made me skeptical of Rs and listen to more Ds. I sat out in 2004, then voted D in 2008 and after.

I feel dumb for listening to Rs before that, but then I look at all these people who still eat up the dumbest R propaganda.

martinrayner.bsky.social•34 days ago

Haven’t actually watched video of it yet, but would imagine it goes something like this...

spartande.bsky.social•34 days ago

Wait until the next time he speaks. Even odds he could top himself.

martinrayner.bsky.social•34 days ago

The non-existent nadir of nattering nincompoopery.

tahfromslc.bsky.social•34 days ago

Well, Clinton signing the bill to end welfare (AFDC) is right up there too.

wades.bsky.social•34 days ago

What we are seeing, not only with the tariff madness but the vandalism of biomedical science and how many other things we don't know about yet, is the end stages of something that started with Reagan, a R retreat from reality that the political press could not notice. It's destroying the Republic.

johnlouiseisenberg.bsky.social•34 days ago

Once again, Trump thinks with the Shrunken Head in his pants & Blows Up the BOOMING Economy He Inherited AGAIN!

bigsizey.bsky.social•34 days ago

You forgot the reign of Genocide Joe

jcfrandsen.bsky.social•34 days ago

Not even close.

ottovondanger.bsky.social•34 days ago

The world says...no one could fuck up their own economy worse than Brexit.
America answers...Hold my beer

davids8663.bsky.social•34 days ago

What is scary is that Trump really belives in what he's doing. He said things durring the campaign, and the reaction was he couldn't want to something that stupid. It turns out he really did believe.

stillfischer.bsky.social•34 days ago

Like we've been chugging leaded paint since '68.

sinnsearanuaine.bsky.social•32 days ago

It only appears to be stupid. They know exactly what they're doing by weakening the economy and disrupting US and Western relations: giving a green light to Russia and China for their expansionist goals.

doehill.bsky.social•34 days ago

I remember when y'all went to war under the battle cry of "Shop til you drop".

oujt.bsky.social•33 days ago

I've seen a man satisfy a camel.

torymediapitchbot.bsky.social•34 days ago

‘ flat out stupid’ shld be on Trump’s headstone when he finally snuffs it

brentstahl.bsky.social•34 days ago

A time of wonder when we can agree with the WSJ editorial board. It will occur to more than a few that no one person should ever again have the ability to upend the entire world economy.

jeremyjsharp.bsky.social•34 days ago

And, of course, Republicans who profess to know so much about the economy will do absolutely nothing about this, so you can add that to those infuriating moments.

nonviolentprotest.bsky.social•34 days ago

I can top it...
He won a second term

belligan.bsky.social•34 days ago

It will live in glorious infamy forever

tribal-knowledge.bsky.social•32 days ago

Trump is trying to set himself up as a worldwide super deal maker. The problem is he doesn’t have the cards.

prasad.bsky.social•34 days ago

The thing about starting a global trade war is that you don't get to decide when it's over. Everyone else gets a say too.

There's zero goodwill to lean on. And an expectation that weakness would just invite further belligerence.

zachhensel.bsky.social•34 days ago

Imagine running an American company right now dependent on international exports… this company in Ohio, for example… going to be hard to win customers back that bail when prices go up 20%.

dw-farrell.bsky.social•34 days ago

I can. The American people and their collective amnesia from 2017 to 2021 .

processanalyzer.bsky.social•34 days ago

Iraq war?

tonysomo.bsky.social•34 days ago

It’s not just “stupid”. It may send us and the world economy into a recession or depression.
The 1% will survive, poorer folks here and around the globe will suffer terribly.
Against the backdrop of what Trump has already done, with Republican MAGA support, it may propel us & others into war.