Trump mad man

 

Trump mad man

In political and foreign policy circles, "madman" most frequently refers to the Madman Theory, a strategy popularized by Richard Nixon and frequently attributed to Donald Trump.

The concept involves a leader deliberately acting unpredictable or "unhinged" to convince adversaries they are capable of extreme, irrational actions, thereby forcing concessions.

 

Key Applications & Contexts

Foreign Policy Strategy: Experts argue Trump uses this to keep both allies and enemies off-balance. Recent examples include his threats regarding the acquisition of Greenland and his shifting stances on NATO and Russia.

Economic Tactics: The strategy is often linked to his trade policies, such as imposing high tariffs on China to gain leverage in negotiations.

Recent Incident: On February 22, 2026, the term appeared in news headlines following an incident where the Secret Service killed an armed man who broke into Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.

Debated Effectiveness

Proponents suggest it re-establishes deterrence by creating strategic ambiguity.

Critics argue it erodes long-term trust with allies and may be counterproductive, as genuine madness is hard to simulate effectively without damaging domestic stability

Trump threatens higher tariffs on countries who 'play games' on deals

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https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/feb/23/us-dollar-stock-markets-losses-trump-global-tariff-supreme-court-news-updates#top-of-blog

 

Trump threatens higher tariffs on countries who 'play games' on deals

A clearly fuming Donald Trump has also posted that any country who chooses to ‘play games’ with the US will face even higher tariffs.

 

In another post on Truth Social, the president says:

 

Any Country that wants to “play games” with the ridiculous supreme court decision, especially those that have “Ripped Off” the U.S.A. for years, and even decades, will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to. BUYER BEWARE!!!

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.

 

It’s not clear which countries he has in mind, but earlier today the EU did postpone the ratification of its trade deal with the US, due the tariff uncertainty.

EU postpones ratification on US trade deal

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14.38 GMT

https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/feb/23/us-dollar-stock-markets-losses-trump-global-tariff-supreme-court-news-updates

 

EU postpones ratification on US trade deal

Lisa O’Carroll

The European Parliament has just decided to pause the ratification process relating to the US trade deal struck with Donald Trump last July in Scotland.

 

A vote tomorrow morning in the Trade Committee has been postponed.

 

Anna Cavazzini, trade policy spokesperson for the Greens/EFA group, comments on this decision:

 

“Given the current enormous uncertainty, a vote would be unjustifiable. The new tariffs on EU exports are over 15 percent, thus violating the deal. At the same time, Trump continues to blithely announce arbitrary tariffs. This lack of trust prevents simply rubber-stamping the implementation of the US deal now.”

 

“The top priority must be finding a solution for the remaining 50% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and related products. The ball is now in the US’s court. Tariffs are extremely unpopular and have not led to the industrial jobs promised by Trump.”

On February 23, 2026, President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs in a "much more powerful and obnoxious way" after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his previous broad tariff program.

 

Trump threatens 'more powerful and obnoxious' tariffs

On February 23, 2026, President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs in a "much more powerful and obnoxious way" after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his previous broad tariff program.

Following a 6-3 ruling that he had exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump shifted to alternative legal authorities to maintain his trade agenda.

 

Key Developments

New 15% Global Tariff: On Saturday, February 21, Trump announced he would raise a temporary global tariff from 10% to 15% on imports from all countries under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Legal Pivot: Trump claimed the Court "accidentally and unwittingly" gave him more power by confirming his ability to use other tariff laws and "licenses" with "legal certainty".

Targeting "Games": He warned that any country attempting to "play games" with the Supreme Court decision would be met with "much higher" and "worse" tariffs.

Retaliatory Licensing: In social media posts, Trump suggested he could use import licenses to do "absolutely 'terrible' things" to foreign countries, specifically those he believes are "ripping off" the U.S..

Global and Market Reaction

Trade Uncertainty: The European Union halted a scheduled vote on a trade deal with the U.S., while the UK sought "urgent clarity" on whether its previous 10% preferential rate remains valid.

Financial Impact: Global stock markets and the U.S. dollar declined on Monday as investors reacted to the renewed trade tensions.

CBP Action: Despite the threats, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began de-activating the illegal IEEPA-related tariff codes effective February 24.

Trump threatens 'more powerful and obnoxious' tariffs

 

13.03 GMT

https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/feb/23/us-dollar-stock-markets-losses-trump-global-tariff-supreme-court-news-updates

 

Trump threatens 'more powerful and obnoxious' tariffs

Donald Trump has declared that he can use tariffs in a ‘much more powerful and obnoxious way’ than he has thus far.

 

Posting on his Truth Social network, the US president again attacked the supreme court for ruling against his sweeping global tariffs last Friday – calling them ‘incompetent’.

 

He also claims the justices have ‘‘accidentally and unwittingly’ expanded his presidential powers on tariffs.

 

Trump writes:

 

The supreme court (will be using lower case letters for a while based on a complete lack of respect!*) of the United States accidentally and unwittingly gave me, as President of the United States, far more powers and strength than I had prior to their ridiculous, dumb, and very internationally divisive ruling.

 

For one thing, I can use Licenses to do absolutely “terrible” things to foreign countries, especially those countries that have been RIPPING US OFF for many decades, but incomprehensibly, according to the ruling, can’t charge them a License fee - BUT ALL LICENSES CHARGE FEES, why can’t the United States do so? You do a license to get a fee! The opinion doesn’t explain that, but I know the answer! The court has also approved all other Tariffs, of which there are many, and they can all be used in a much more powerful and obnoxious way, with legal certainty, than the Tariffs as initially used.

 

Our incompetent supreme court did a great job for the wrong people, and for that they should be ashamed of themselves (but not the Great Three!).

 

[That’s a reference to the minority of three justices who backed Trump in last week’s ruling].

Trump WALKS into INSTANT DISASTER with New Tariffs

 

Why the US Economy Suddenly Looks Shaky

 

Why the US Economy Suddenly Looks Shaky

Recent economic data for early 2026 suggests the U.S. economy is entering a precarious phase, characterized by sharply slowing growth and cooling consumer activity. After a robust 4.4% expansion in Q3 2025, GDP growth slowed to an annual pace of 1.4% in the final quarter of 2025.

Analysts and recent reports attribute this "shaky" outlook to several converging factors:

 

1. The "Tariff Roller Coaster"

Frontloading vs. Slump: In early 2025, businesses rushed to import goods to beat anticipated tariffs, which artificially boosted economic activity. Once those tariffs took effect, imports dropped and prices for staples (like coffee and bananas) began to rise, leading to a subsequent drag on growth.

Business Uncertainty: Constant shifts in trade policy and a Supreme Court review of tariff legality have left many businesses in a "holding pattern," hesitant to invest.

2. Cooling Labor Market

Higher Unemployment: The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4% by late 2025, its highest level in four years.

Slow Hiring: Job growth nearly halted in some sectors in 2025. While 119,000 jobs were added in September, this was considered "neutral" and followed months of very low hiring.

Immigration & AI: Aggressive deportation policies and tighter visa restrictions (like a new $100,000 fee for H-1B applications) have reduced the labor supply, while corporate layoffs at firms like Amazon and Target are being linked to increased AI adoption.

3. Faltering Consumer Confidence

Spending Stagnation: The consumer spending that previously powered the economy has slackened.

The "K-Shaped" Reality: Growth is increasingly driven only by the wealthiest 10% of Americans. Lower- and middle-income households are facing "inflation hangovers," high debt levels, and the loss of pandemic-era tax credits.

Sentiment Slump: According to The Conference Board, consumer confidence fell by nearly 10 points in January 2026, reflecting anxiety over both high prices and future income stability.

4. Policy and Fiscal Strains

Federal Shutdown: A weeks-long government shutdown at the end of 2025 drained hundreds of thousands of federal paychecks from the economy and disrupted critical data reporting.

Stagflation Risks: With inflation still running at 3% (above the Federal Reserve's 2% target) and growth slowing, some economists warn of a return to 1970s-style stagflation.