The fighting part isn't just us tariffing China, it's bullying other countries to do the same.
That's how the US won the first trade war under trump 1 (and continued by Biden). Now Trump 2 tried to ramp it up and this time its backfired because other countries have refused to go along. Many have even been pushed to collaborate more closely with China. China's exports have only grown to record highs
Trump failed to convince other countries to continue going along because he's a simplistic zero-sum bully who barks orders, expects others to fall in line, and then throws a tantrum when they don't - rather than a tactful leader capable of maintaining the trust of a voluntary positive-sum coalition. That he's also been overtly attacking allies at the same time doesn't help convince anyone either - the new regime was attacking Canada straight out of the gate, and it's hard to explain attacking Greenland any other way than a Putin-favored plan to drive a wedge between us and our traditional allies.
> Trump failed to convince other countries to continue going along because he's a simplistic zero-sum bully who barks orders, expects others to fall in line, and then throws a tantrum when they don't
All of these things were true in 2016 as well yet other countries went along then.
I think there were more adults in the room, more legal checks, plus a lack of experience holding Turmp back. Foreign leaders also held their nose thinking he was an aberration that would pass.
Whereas in 2025 his sponsors had their plans set and ready to go out of the gate, the Supreme Council had fully burnt a good chunk of our Constitution, and the fact that the American people choose this idiot a second time reflected upon the whole country.
That's how the US won the first trade war under trump 1 (and continued by Biden). Now Trump 2 tried to ramp it up and this time its backfired because other countries have refused to go along. Many have even been pushed to collaborate more closely with China. China's exports have only grown to record highs