[Image: FMT]
US President Donald Trump launched a massive trade war this weekend by slapping tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but seemingly not content with kicking dust into the eyes of some of the US’s biggest trade partners, he took aim at South Africa as well.
On Sunday night, he threatened to halt funding (and likely trade benefits) to SA due to the country’s updated land expropriation laws, which he calls a “massive human rights” violation.
Lamenting how the country is confiscating land and “treating certain classes of people very badly”, Trump has slipped his leash and insisted that the US will be cutting “all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed”.
South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention. A massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) February 2, 2025
Despite the legislation having been signed last year already, the rant sent the Rand plunging to over R19 to the US dollar and will have dire consequences for the country’s relationship with the Northern Hemisphere bully. In the last two decades, more than $8 billion (R152 billion) in bilateral aid has flowed into SA.
We’ll see how Cyril tip-toes around this one, but commentators on Fox News reckon the ANC were warned about their “antithetical behaviour”, in regards to supporting Palestine and Putin.
The ANC chickens are coming home to roost. pic.twitter.com/fjSPWwwfoj
— Jaco Kleynhans (@JacoKleynhans) February 3, 2025
We may not be in a position to klap back, but Canada has handed a return serve to Trump after he signed an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on almost everything imported from Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered an emotional reminder to Americans that his country has been at their side in the “darkest hours” – be it the Iran hostage crisis and war in Afghanistan, or deadly natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the recent California wildfires.
Speaking directly to Americans at a press conference in Ottawa, Trudeau said he had no choice but to impose countermeasures.
“As I’ve said before, if President Trump wants to usher in a new golden age for the United States, the better path is to partner with Canada, not to punish us.”
“Unfortunately, the actions taken today by the White House split us apart instead of bringing us together.”
“But we will stand up for Canada, for Canadians, for Canadian jobs.”
Canada has now responded to the tariffs with a 25% tariff increase on American products.
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According to analysts, the looming import taxes on Mexico, Canada and China will be a major test of Trump’s unorthodox use of tariffs, which he’s described as “the greatest thing ever invented.”
Not everyone is drinking the Cool Aid, and many believe It’s an enormous gamble which could backfire, lifting already-high consumer prices at the grocery store, rocking the shaky stock market or killing jobs in a full-blown trade war.
The Trump Administration seems to think this will all benefit the US but as The Wall Street Journal wrote, this might just be “The Dumbest Trade War in History.”
[Source: Times of India & Moneyweb]
