Comment by dmix

People are also getting way too caught up in the math and numbers. They think WH calculated the percentages through incompetence but the 25% tariffs weren't based on anything very real either. The entire goal is not carefully calculated trade equality, it's mafia style intimidation to get some easy concessions as quickly as possible from everybody... before the economy crashes too hard. Spamming tariffs to see what sticks. The math is just a plausible justification for something they would have done anyway.

It's bully tactics.

For ex see Canada's fentynal importation issue, which was something invented to justify a natsec emergency legally. The numbers don't have to be real, just plausibly deniable.