Well folks, just when you thought you’d seen it all, President Trump went and did that thing again — you know, the one where he lights a fire and then rushes in with a garden hose, saying, “Relax, I’ve got it under control.”

Yesterday, Trump abruptly hit pause on his blanket tariffs for most countries — backing off for 90 days — while simultaneously jacking up tariffs on Chinese goods to 125%. Yes, you read that right. One hundred and twenty-five percent. That’s not a tariff, that’s a steel-toed boot to Beijing’s wallet.

And wouldn’t you know it — the S&P 500 soared 9.5% right after the announcement. Wall Street loves a break from chaos. But don’t let the market sugar high fool you. The broader picture is about as stable as a Jenga tower in a windstorm.

Let’s unpack this — from the facts, to the flaws, to the fallout — all through the lens of truth, liberty, and the Constitution, not political cults or personality contests.

Imaginary Enemies Make Great Soundbites, Not Great Policy

Let’s start with a little reality check. Noah Smith rightly pointed out something that should have been obvious from the start: the idea that America is being relentlessly gouged by unfair foreign tariffs is massively exaggerated.

Contrary to Trump’s campaign-trail claims, most developed countries already have low or even zero tariffs on U.S. goods. Canada? Low. Japan? Low. The EU? Still low. And that infamous claim about Europe slapping a 25% tariff on U.S. cars? That was misleading at best. The real number is 10%, while we charge 2.5% on European cars, and a whopping 25% on trucks.

So no, we’re not the only ones playing fair while everyone else cheats. In fact, if anyone’s sitting on a trade imbalance in the auto industry, it’s the folks buying $60K American trucks for suburban grocery runs. We did that to ourselves.

This is a classic case of rhetoric outpacing reality — and while it plays well on a rally stage, it makes for poor economics.

No, This Wasn’t 4D Chess — It Was Checkers on a Trampoline

Some of Trump’s defenders are scrambling to explain this latest move, claiming it’s all part of a grand master plan. “Trust the process,” they say. “He’s playing 4D chess.”

Well, Ben Shapiro nailed it when he said, “If this was a planned rollout, the evidence is sorely lacking.”

Let’s be honest: if this were some strategic masterpiece, we’d have detailed playbooks, sequenced rollouts, and coherent messaging. What we’ve got instead is White House aides contradicting each other, policies announced before they’re written, and Trump backpedaling live on camera like a guy who forgot his anniversary.

This isn’t strategy. It’s policy improvisation with pyrotechnics.

It reminds me of that verse from Proverbs: “Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly” (Proverbs 13:16).

A prudent leader doesn’t make huge economic decisions by gut feeling and applause-o-meter. He seeks knowledge, wisdom, counsel. What we’re getting is more reaction than reason.

Trump Responds to Blowback — Especially When His Base Gets Queasy

Let’s not pretend Trump pivoted out of some well-planned policy shift. He responded to pressure, plain and simple. His own words gave it away when he said people were getting “yippy” and “queasy” about the tariffs. That’s code for: the Dow was tanking, and my base wasn’t happy.

Trump watches the stock market like it’s college football on rivalry week. If the Dow dives, he notices. And when farmers, small business owners, and independent tradesmen start hollering about higher prices and disrupted supply chains, he listens — because that’s the heart of his coalition.

He doesn’t want to lose Iowa over soybean tariffs. And he shouldn’t. But maybe we could, I don’t know, think through the policy before the blowback hits?

Tariffs Are Taxes — Period. Full Stop. No Exceptions.

Let’s be crystal clear here: tariffs are taxes. They’re just sneakier. They don’t show up on your pay stub, but you sure feel them at the cash register. When a tariff is slapped on imports:

• Importers pay it and pass the cost along.
• Retailers and manufacturers either raise prices or cut costs — usually by trimming wages or laying people off.
• And consumers, well, they get to pay more for the same stuff.

So next time you hear, “We’re taxing Vietnam,” remember: you’re the one paying it — not some government official in Hanoi. They’re not mailing checks to Washington. They’re just raising prices and shifting their exports elsewhere. Meanwhile, your power tools cost more, your home renovation gets delayed, and your local hardware store is stuck eating the difference or hiking prices.

Markets Don’t Like Surprises — They Like Stability

The stock market popped this time, but let’s not kid ourselves — markets hate volatility. They hate it like toddlers hate nap time. And when economic policy comes down to whatever a former reality show host tweets after breakfast, that’s a recipe for chaos.

One day it’s “TARIFFS ON EVERYTHING.” The next it’s “EXCEPT THESE COUNTRIES.” Then it’s “JUST KIDDING, WE LOVE JAPAN NOW.”

This isn’t how grown-up countries manage global trade. It’s how you run a lemonade stand after too much Mountain Dew.

We Alienated Allies to Own China — That’s Not Strategy, That’s Confusion

Here’s the real kicker: Trump had a solid point about decoupling from China. We’ve outsourced way too much. Our pharmaceuticals, tech, rare earths — all dangerously dependent on a regime that openly despises American values.

Wanting to restructure global trade to reduce that dependence is a good and necessary goal. Many conservative economists and foreign policy experts agreed. But what did Trump do? He went and whacked allies like Canada, Japan, and the EU with the same tariff hammer.

That muddied the message. If this was about standing up to China, why hit the countries that actually share our values?

As Jesus said: “If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).

How do we expect to rally the free world when we’re punishing our friends the same way we punish our enemies?

Tariff Authority Run Amok — What Happens When the Other Side Has the Wheel?

And now, the constitutional elephant in the room. Tariffs — once the domain of Congress — are increasingly dictated by executive fiat. Trump used that power more brazenly than any president in modern memory.

Sure, supporters call it “bold leadership.” But conservatives should be alarmed, not impressed.

Because here’s the hard truth: if a conservative president can impose sweeping economic policies with the stroke of a pen, so can a progressive one. What happens when the next guy (or gal) starts using tariffs for climate mandates, social engineering, or “equity-based trade justice”?

That’s not a hypothetical. That’s a warning.

The Founders designed a system of deliberation, checks, and balance — not royal proclamations. We need to get back to that.

Final Thoughts: Principle Over Personality

At the end of the day, this isn’t about loving or hating Trump. It’s about recognizing that good governance is bigger than one man, no matter how loud, rich, or combative he may be.

Yes, Trump disrupted the status quo. Yes, he brought attention to real issues in trade and global dependency. But the execution matters. Because a good idea, delivered badly, can do more harm than good.

We need leaders who govern with wisdom, humility, and clarity — not erratic announcements, rushed decisions, or Twitter rants (or Truth Social tantrums). America deserves better. And frankly, conservatives should demand better.

We’re not here to worship men. We’re here to defend truth, uphold the Constitution, and serve the people — even when it’s inconvenient.

And on that note — someone get the stock market a juice box and a nap. It’s been a wild day with stocks taking another tumble.

God bless America — and may we trade with wisdom, not just bravado.