The Trumps & Elon tweets thread (Had to make this since it's never ending)

[roadrash99]

Till 1 month ago Niall Ferguson was in the "trump is playing 4d chess" camp... didn't last long...

Niall Ferguson: Trump’s Tariffs and the End of American Empire

The president stands as much chance of reindustrializing the U.S. as you do of getting your frozen laptop to work by smashing the motherboard with a Minecraft hammer.

www.thefp.com

 

[TEUser2K1]

Chinese airfield plan in Bangladesh district close to Chicken's Neck area raises Indian concerns

India is scrutinizing reports of China's plan to build an airfield in Bangladesh's Lalmonirhat district, which could pose security threats to its eastern border, including the Chicken's Neck area. The strategic location near Sikkim and West Bengal makes India's northeast vulnerable. Meanwhile...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[iPwnz]

First crypto now stocks, another pump and dump by the admin

View attachment 229930

Even if the report is false news, the stock was still affected no? Or is it affected because of the news?
And is this another pump and dump by some filthy rich people? Or the market inadvertently took a sudden turn?

 

[blr_p]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1909260233685291082

There is an interesting correlation between how much a country's stock exchange drops and how reliant it is on the US.



The markets are telling you how exposed various countries are to tariffs. China is very vulnerable but still grandstanding and talking trash

And speaking of tariffs just how much are we getting stiffed for?



Almost $400 billion of our exports are exempted. This table comes from a member of that Generals youtube that I follow.


He thinks there are openings we must take advantage of. First half of his video was on trade. The rest is about Iran and possible US attacks.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1909339426972746197

Trump has made clear it would be bad for Iran not to work out a deal.

---

I was obviously talking about tariffs, which are a sales tax for the poor. The images you posted are totally unrelated.

Yes but I'm addressing this general refrain that you are a fan of. Which is Trump favours the rich over the poor.

Can it be any more direct than income tax concessions?

Sales tax will affect everyone but there are also positive factors at play

And what did these policies give Britain?

Britain stayed out of the PIGS group.

Colourful term used by The Economist magazine to include countries that are economically challenged like Portugal, Italy, Greece & Spain

People become home owners to a larger extent thanks to her policies.

Since she gave that speech, conservatives have ruled for 2/3 of the 35 years, and the other years liberal ruled, you had guys like Tony Blair, calling whom a socialist is laughable. Despite the policies dominating, Britain is anything but a growing economy. Working class of Britain has been completely dismantled, they are still waiting for something to trickle down.

^All this would have been worse without her.

Taxing the rich doesn't hurt rich people, it makes them more efficient. It's the best thing you could do to them for their own good. Many billionaires (more principled ones) have publicly stated they want billionaires to be taxed more.

Listen to her arguments against. I doubt you can get a better rebuttal. Its policies like hers that enabled people to become billionaires in the first place

You're only talking about taxes but far worse is possible...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1909358770993447209

Looks like random people on the internet know what the president is doing more than the president himself. The market hasn't even crashed by 20% yet, yet Trump is retweeting a clip saying it.

Where did that 20% figure come from?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1909211840971784362

All depends where you set the starting point

 

[roadrash99]

Almost $400 billion of our exports are exempted. This table comes from a member of that Generals youtube that I follow.

Services are exempted for all countries I believe. RIP Surat btw.

Yes but I'm addressing this general refrain that you are a fan of. Which is Trump favours the rich over the poor.

Can it be any more direct than income tax concessions?

Every ruling entity in the US favours the rich over the poor including Trump. I didn't say anything about Trump in particular.
And brother, people earning 500000 in the USA are not rich, they are upper middle class. After 10 years a competent doctor or engineer is earning that much. No one wants to take money away from them. Look up what tax cut Trump gave to the corporates. Those are the rich people.

Sales tax will affect everyone but there are also positive factors at play

Sales tax forms a much bigger percentage of income for people in the lower earning sections of society, because almost all their income is spent. That's what tariffs are going to hit.

^All this would have been worse without her.

That's by definition a fantasy, which you are entitled to.

Britain stayed out of the PIGS group.

Colourful term used by The Economist magazine to include countries that are economically challenged like Portugal, Italy, Greece & Spain

People become home owners to a larger extent thanks to her policies.

So Britian is not a failed nation, that is Thatcher's achievement? The bar is set really low then. Can you also check whether Portugal grew faster than Britain from 1990-2025 or not?

Listen to her arguments against. I doubt you can get a better rebuttal. Its policies like hers that enabled people to become billionaires in the first place

People way more competent than me have done that. And anyway I am not an ideologically driven person. I am for doing whatever works.
The best economic policy responds to the needs of the people and is not based on some philosophy or ideology, someone's idea of what's right or wrong, or some book written 200 years ago.

You're only talking about taxes but far worse is possible...

A shocking new report shows 48% of self-identified left leaning respondents say killing @elonmusk is justifiable.pic.twitter.com/6k0Dd8ubQq

Obvious ragebait. People say anything in internet surveys. I took a quick look at their "research"...

“How justified or not justified would someone be if they killed a powerful political leader?” Summing over all responses except 1 (“not at all justified”), high levels of both Republicans (29%) and Democrats (41%) indicated that it is at least somewhat justified.

So who are these left wing extremist republicans that want to assassinate elon musk?

Where did that 20% figure come from?

It's in comparison to the highest point since Trump election victory, basically the worst number you can calculate - it's 14%. Compared to the level since tariff announcement it's 9%. Nowhere near 20%.

 

[blr_p]

It's in comparison to the highest point since Trump election victory, basically the worst number you can calculate - it's 14%. Compared to the level since tariff announcement it's 9%. Nowhere near 20%.

So confusing the way this is being reported. Earlier it was 4% for the US the day tariffs were announced. That was the dow jones

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-criticises-trump-tariff-blackmail-market-turmoil-settles-2025-04-08/

U.S. stocks dropped on Tuesday for a fourth straight trading day since Trump's tariffs announcement last week, with the S&P 500 closing below 5,000 for the first time in almost a year. The index is now 18.9% below its most recent high on February 19, close to the 20% decline that defines a bear market

Right now, the S&P index that is 20% down.

Some would day this index is more accurate as it tracks the top 500 companies in the US.

Services are exempted for all countries I believe.

I thought I'd mention it as its been unusually quiet here and in the media about how India is affected. Turns out not too badly.

Also over a week back you were wondering what the government was doing and why they were quiet. Now you know.

Services form an important part of our export to the US.

^Not accurate as far as India is concerned.

RIP Surat btw.

That was 5 days ago

Gems and jewellery move quickly amid tariff row - The Times of India

Surat: The US's tariff increase has sparked a global stock market meltdown, heavy losses to businesses and panic among investors.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Then people started moving quickly. This is an old industry with people of unique skills. I don't think it will go away

 

[roadrash99]

So confusing the way this is being reported. Earlier it was 4% for the US the day tariffs were announced. That was the dow jones

https://www.reuters.com/world/china...-blackmail-market-turmoil-settles-2025-04-08/
Right now, the S&P index that is 20% down.

Some would day this index is more accurate as it tracks the top 500 companies in the US.

S&P and Dow will generally move the same amount. You can check the number yourself by googling and google will show the graph on top of the search results, there you can select your range by dragging. As you can see it's still 19%, when the video was posted it was 15%.

I thought I'd mention it as its been unusually quiet here and in the media about how India is affected. Turns out not too badly.

Also over a week back you were wondering what the government was doing and why they were quiet. Now you know.

I was saying that regarding deportations, I don't expect the government to retaliate against tariffs because there's not really much they can do. But reducing Harley Davidson import duty was surely cowardly and got this people pleaser government nothing in return.
Also, separate pharma tariffs are incoming, will probably be lower but they will come.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...rmaceutical-imports/articleshow/120110100.cms

Then people started moving quickly. This is an old industry with people of unique skills. I don't think it will go away

Article is saying they were able to export 1 month worth or exports. What will happen after 1 month? Do you think Trump is backing down?? Apple has imported entire cargo planes full of iphones from China in anticipation of these tariffs, it is being reported they have enough inventory to sell for several months. This is standard tactics and everyone is doing it.

5 planes filled with iPhones sent from India to US to avoid Trump tariffs: Report

Apple reportedly rushed shipments of iPhones from India (and other markets) to the United States in late March, using five aircraft to beat the deadline for new US tariffs.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[psyph3r]

How do you improve govt. efficiency ? By handing out $1 trillion to a body that has failed an audit 7 times in a row

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/07/hegseth-trump-1-trillion-defense-budget-00007147

Pentagon Audit Fail: Where did $824,000,000,000 go? Pentagon fails to provide answers to Americans | World News - Times of India

US News: The Pentagon failed its seventh consecutive audit of its $824 billion budget, receiving a disclaimer of opinion due to insufficient data. Despite this

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

 

[TEUser2K1]

@blr_p
"Build a better relationship with USA"++ and "Forge special defense relationship with Europe" is not going to work together...
Trump like mentality will automatically questions this.

Meanwhile:
India clears deal to buy 26 Rafale marine fighter aircraft from France, says ANI

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/india-clears-deal-buy-26-rafale-marine-fighter-aircraft-france-says-ani-2025-04-09/

 

[roadrash99]

Trump says countries are 'kissing my a**' wanting to make trade deals - The Times of India

US News: Donald Trump claimed several nations are eager to negotiate with the U.S. following his tariff actions, even using colorful language to describe their

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Looks like Trump and co have spent zero time trying to understand China. There is no way CCP will respond favourably to threats and intimidation. The last time this happened to them, it's taught in their schools as the "century of humiliation" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_of_humiliation

And I think if US is trying to play a game of chicken, China can withstand hardship way better than the US population, who haven't seen depredation and scarcity in over a century, for Chinese they still have people alive who were starving at one point under Mao.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/09/china-slaps-retaliatory-tariffs-of-84percent-on-us-goods-in-response-to-trump.html

 

[Kloud]

Services are exempted for all countries I believe.

How long before you guys think the US imposes tariffs on services too? I don't know if that's even possible.

 

[TEUser2K1]

‘India only country to reach an understanding with US,’ says EAM S Jaishankar as Trump tariffs kick in

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/engaged-with-us-to-seal-trade-pact-eam-jaishankar-as-trump-tariffs-kick-in-india-the-only-country-11744187610108.html

 

[roadrash99]

How long before you guys think the US imposes tariffs on services too? I don't know if that's even possible.

Yeah I wouldn't rule it out, it makes a lot more sense tbh for US people to take up service jobs rather than manufacturing. Should be easy to implement as it's all in the formal economy, but maybe Trump left it out as US is a net exporter of services.
But already there are discussions on EU potentially tariffing US big tech.

EU leaders split over hitting U.S. services sector in retaliation to Trump trade tariffs

While France and Germany are calling for an "aggressive" response, Ireland, Italy and Spain want a "calm and measured" approach.

fortune.com

But if Trump took the bloc’s surplus in goods with the United States — meaning it exports more than it imports — as his reasoning for hurting the EU, officials have indicated Brussels could target the US services surplus in response.

The 27-country bloc had a goods trade surplus of 157 billion euros ($171 billion) with the United States in 2023.

But in services, where American firms are dominant, the EU had a trade deficit of 109 billion euros with the United States.

‘India only country to reach an understanding with US,’ says EAM S Jaishankar as Trump tariffs kick in

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/engaged-with-us-to-seal-trade-pact-eam-jaishankar-as-trump-tariffs-kick-in-india-the-only-country-11744187610108.html

Or in Trump's words, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...to-make-trade-deals/articleshow/120114484.cms

 

[TEUser2K1]

Or in Trump's words

From Mint article, last para:
'Negotiated trade deal in Trump's first term'
"But if you look at President Trump's first term, we were actually negotiating a trade deal which could not fructify, and if one looks even at Biden's administration, we discussed trade possibilities and we ended up with the IPEF initiative," he said.

The Minister, however, said that New Delhi's strategy to deal with the situation is to firm up a bilateral trade pact with Washington by the fall of this year.

Meanwhile, India to Bangladesh:

India terminates cargo trans-shipment to Bangladesh in sharp rebuke to Yunus’ ‘landlocked’ remark | India News - The Times of India

India News: NEW DELHI: India has withdrawn a key trans-shipment facility granted to Bangladesh, days after the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, M.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

 

[roadrash99]

From Mint article, last para:
'Negotiated trade deal in Trump's first term'
"But if you look at President Trump's first term, we were actually negotiating a trade deal which could not fructify, and if one looks even at Biden's administration, we discussed trade possibilities and we ended up with the IPEF initiative," he said.

The Minister, however, said that New Delhi's strategy to deal with the situation is to firm up a bilateral trade pact with Washington by the fall of this year.

Meanwhile, India to Bangladesh:

India terminates cargo trans-shipment to Bangladesh in sharp rebuke to Yunus’ ‘landlocked’ remark | India News - The Times of India

India News: NEW DELHI: India has withdrawn a key trans-shipment facility granted to Bangladesh, days after the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, M.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Nothing has been negotiated yet. And I doubt it will be because the aim of the tariffs is not to get countries to reduce tariffs, that's why minimum Trump tariff is 10% no matter what.

India reduced it's import duty for Harley Davidson out of fear of Trump and in return it got 27% flat tariff on everything. US is a big export market for Royal Enfield. Whereas Harley even without tariffs would have barely sold in India.

‘Blame China, not Trump’: Piyush Goyal says 3 decades of malpractices helped Beijing to grow at the cost of nations like India

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has called out Chinas decades-long unfair trade practices, warning theyve led to economic instability worldwide. Speaking at the India Global Forum, he blamed the global crisis on myopic decisions and urged collective international action to restore fair trade...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

What a stupid thing to say, looks like he thinks Trump is going to say thank you to him. Why take sides when someone else is fighting. This goes to show that our government is not looking at this with impartiality and with only national interest, they are still hoping to become friends with Trump based on some kind of right wing ideology driven fantasy.

 

[cellar_door]

‘India only country to reach an understanding with US,’ says EAM S Jaishankar as Trump tariffs kick in

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/engaged-with-us-to-seal-trade-pact-eam-jaishankar-as-trump-tariffs-kick-in-india-the-only-country-11744187610108.html

Well.... technically speaking, saying "Yes sir, I will do whatever you want" can be considered 'reaching an understanding' lmao

 

[mzsa1994]

Well.... technically speaking, saying "Yes sir, I will do whatever you want" can be considered 'reaching an understanding' lmao

 

[TEUser2K1]

can be considered 'reaching an understanding' lmao

Those who are commenting that China is nothing, etc. etc. can actually think who in the world now have the capability to stand up to USA.
India obviously does not have that capability, so will go with the flow as per USA's regime; if it benefit India, well and fine.

 

[Kloud]

View attachment 230239

Pollution here is so high that our leaders are now getting pink eyes.

 

[t3chg33k]

Those who are commenting that China is nothing, etc. etc. can actually think who in the world now have the capability to stand up to USA.
India obviously does not have that capability, so will go with the flow as per USA's regime; if it benefit India, well and fine.

Most news videos on YouTube about China's 84% reciprocal tariffs have nearly all Asian commenters across countries cheer for China, as they are the only Asian country able to stand up to United States. Basically, all other Asian countries are being labelled as being spineless and getting bullied by the bully.

Was reading an article few days back that US has failed to introspect and realise that most of the trade deficit has come from their approach to consumerism and capitalism, basically encouraging people to buy a lot of cheaper Chinese stuff using borrowed money. Who would have thought that China would become the paragon of global trade. I suppose China may end up striking a favourable deal with more countries than US will.

India as always will miss the bus by trying to sit on the fence as much as possible.