Trump: EU is nastier than China

Quoting Trader#DF60

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Trump is taking credit for fixing his own disaster!

Ignored

Exactly. He put on the embargo-level tariffs, China retaliated with their own, and they both freaked out when they realized what a de facto cessation of trade would mean. Trump backed down and China let him down easy. What was gained by the US? Not a thing. The whole exercise has been a fecal smear on the American brand. We're back near where it all started in early February and the details of any trade "deal" still need to be hammered out, meanwhile the players have retreated to lick their wounds.

DwnUndrTrdr

May 13, 2025 12:55am

Quoting The Fool

Disliked

{quote}Exactly. He put on the embargo-level tariffs, China retaliated with their own, and they both freaked out when they realized what a de facto cessation of trade would mean. Trump backed down and China let him down easy. What was gained by the US? Not a thing. The whole exercise has been a fecal smear on the American brand. We're back near where it all started in early February and the details of any trade "deal" still need to be hammered out, meanwhile the players have retreated to lick their wounds.

Ignored

Nice summation.
Trump got to chest beat and grandstand. It’s all about the optics. In the meantime, the robber Barron is selling his availability to the highest bidder via his meme coin. Don Jr running a nice little introduction hussle as well.
Tariffs are the street punk’s equivalent of breaking windows and asking for protection money.

chemosi

May 12, 2025 10:55am

"EU IS NASTIER THAN CHINA"
Its like Trump has been reading forexfactory news comments section

Vancarbon

May 12, 2025 9:41am

He's so right on the exploitation that goes on in the Pharmaceutical industry . It's pure extortion at times .

May 12, 2025 11:49am

Quoting AaronWard

Disliked

{quote}. Actually, my point wasn't really about finger-pointing. I am interested in the Trump news cycle and now he is going to start going after Europe now that China will disappear in the review view mirror. As for my personal beliefs on pharma in the US, the problem has to do with regulatory dysfunction and capture.

Ignored

Ok, all good.

Yes, Trump and his team start with any issue being someone else's problem, rather than resolving their own house issues.

The Fool

May 12, 2025 9:27pm — Edited

Quoting AaronWard

Disliked

Now it is the EU's turn in the hot seat. AI generated stats: U.S. Pharmaceutical Imports from Europe (2024) Country Import Value (USD) Share of Total U.S. Pharma Imports Ireland $50.3 billion 28.4% Switzerland $19.0 billion 10.7% Germany $17.1 billion 9.7% Belgium $8.0 billion 4.5% United Kingdom $7.5 billion 4.2% Denmark $6.8 billion 3.8% Italy $6.4 billion 3.6% Netherlands $5.0 billion 2.8% France $4.0 billion 2.3% Spain $3.0 billion 1.7% Total (Europe) $86.4 billion

Ignored

Interesting. For a lot of those countries, the value of pharma exports to the US is 5-10% of their total GDP. There are usually just a few names with the lion's share. In Denmark, for instance, a single company, Novo Nordisk, accounts for about 7% of the country's total GDP. The pharma industry, as a whole, is about 65% of Denmark's total GDP....Sounds like leverage.

May 12, 2025 10:02am

Now it is the EU's turn in the hot seat.

AI generated stats:
U.S. Pharmaceutical Imports from Europe (2024)
Country Import Value (USD) Share of Total U.S. Pharma Imports
Ireland $50.3 billion 28.4%
Switzerland $19.0 billion 10.7%
Germany $17.1 billion 9.7%
Belgium $8.0 billion 4.5%
United Kingdom $7.5 billion 4.2%
Denmark $6.8 billion 3.8%
Italy $6.4 billion 3.6%
Netherlands $5.0 billion 2.8%
France $4.0 billion 2.3%
Spain $3.0 billion 1.7%
Total (Europe) $86.4 billion

MisterWho

May 12, 2025 2:27pm

Quoting Jr123

Disliked

{quote} Your delusional. Trump is the old man in the diaper. Now he's going after china by lowering tariffs below what Bidden had implemented. The guy definitely has Dementia.

Ignored

You mean the guy who stopped oil exports to Europe without even realizing it? Oh wait that was Biden, my bad

TableTop

May 12, 2025 3:23pm

Health insurance is an arms race. In the US there are small buyers vs large sellers, so the sellers always have an asymmetric advatage. In most 1st world countries, you have a large buyer (a national health authority) vs large (but smaller) sellers, so buyers have the advantage.
The crisis in phara costs and healthcare provision in the US directly linked to free-market (unregulated) capatilsm.
It's very positive to see Trump adopt a more social-capatilism approach to trade policies. Maybe Xi has had a word.

May 12, 2025 11:21am

Quoting Trader#5E8D

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Yes, EU is the main culprit. Can pay more for the NATO protection and trade surplus with US.

Ignored

This is where the problem lies with Trumpism.

I have a product you want. No one is forcing you to purchase from me. You purchase my product but then cry that's unfair and that I am the culprit.

If you want me to buy something of yours, then make it way more attractive, value-added or beneficial. If I keep supplying you with products or services you want but don't have, then that's your problem, not mine.

Vancarbon

May 12, 2025 11:21am

Quoting DaJoWaBa

Disliked

{quote} Switzerland and the U.K. aren't in the EU but why let an inconvenient fact get in the way of a point, eh? Neither country have any indigenous penguins either. The US Healthcare sector and consumer is not forced to purchase any High-tech Pharmaceuticals from anyone but by the very nature of such large purchases they clearly choose to do so by free will. The figures are a more damning statement about US Drug Companies' ability to supply their own market, cost-effectively, than anything else.

Ignored

In fairness Dajo , I think Aaron states AI generated :

I also agree with yourself about the outsourcing issue in the US pharma industry , this however doesn't detract that pharma is such a powerful lobby globally that price discrepancies are generally caused by supply/demand and the highest bidder protocol . Exploitation is rife .

May 12, 2025 11:26am

Quoting DaJoWaBa

Disliked

{quote} Switzerland and the U.K. aren't in the EU but why let an inconvenient fact get in the way of a point, eh? Neither country have any indigenous penguins either. The US Healthcare sector and consumer is not forced to purchase any High-tech Pharmaceuticals from anyone but by the very nature of such large purchases they clearly choose to do so by free will. The figures are a more damning statement about US Drug Companies' ability to supply their own market, cost-effectively, than anything else.

Ignored

Actually, the stats generated say "Europe" not EU.

May 12, 2025 11:41am

Quoting DaJoWaBa

Disliked

{quote} Yes, AW, I accept that you'd requoted a Europe AI-generated fact but opened the point with finger-pointing the EU.

Ignored

. Actually, my point wasn't really about finger-pointing. I am interested in the Trump news cycle and now he is going to start going after Europe now that China will disappear in the review view mirror. As for my personal beliefs on pharma in the US, the problem has to do with regulatory dysfunction and capture.

May 13, 2025 8:59am

The main thing achieved is a) the launch of a global tariff regime and b) the only guy willing to fire back (China) has agreed to a timeout. Markets, bond rates, and inflation are all remarkably tame. Further, the 30% *final China tariff* is only 4% off of liberation day tariffs of 34%. BTW I hate that name.

Damage to the US brand is real, however, the incremental damage after Greenland, the 51st State, the Ukrainian aggressors starting the war with Russia, etc, is probably marginal.

Breaking windows and asking for protection money is very much the MO of the Trump Administration, and in my mind, the shakedown is about to start. Both ASEAN and the EU have much larger volumes of trade with the US than China does. They also rely on the US far more than China does, so the asymmetrical leverage is far greater. The reliance includes military defense as well as trade. Lets see if the EU or the ASEAN nations have much spine for a fight.

May 13, 2025 11:25am

Quoting The Fool

Disliked

{quote}Interesting. For a lot of those countries, the value of pharma exports to the US is 5-10% of their total GDP. There are usually just a few names with the lion's share. In Denmark, for instance, a single company, Novo Nordisk, accounts for about 7% of the country's total GDP. The pharma industry, as a whole, is about 65% of Denmark's total GDP....Sounds like leverage.

Ignored

I was pretty surprised at the numbers. Everything has been CHINA CHINA CHINA for so long. It turns China's participation in the pharma industry is relatively minor, although it is quickly growing. I am also interested in seeing how the GOP twist in the wind, wondering if they should support the people who pay their bills or support the guy who gets them elected. And for the Dems, it isnt much better. Supporting pharma companies is a profoundly unpopular position and by default this is what they are going to do.

The actual policy seems to be something pretty vague. It is not actual price controls, but rather a suggestion of price controls that might, in the future, become actual price controls. It will probably lose in both Congress and the courts. Most likely, it is a tactic to distract from the ongoing and real cuts to Medicaid.

May 12, 2025 11:09am

Quoting AaronWard

Disliked

Now it is the EU's turn in the hot seat. AI generated stats: U.S. Pharmaceutical Imports from Europe (2024) Country Import Value (USD) Share of Total U.S. Pharma Imports Ireland $50.3 billion 28.4% Switzerland $19.0 billion 10.7% Germany $17.1 billion 9.7% Belgium $8.0 billion 4.5% United Kingdom $7.5 billion 4.2% Denmark $6.8 billion 3.8% Italy $6.4 billion 3.6% Netherlands $5.0 billion 2.8% France $4.0 billion 2.3% Spain $3.0 billion 1.7% Total (Europe) $86.4 billion

Ignored

Switzerland and the U.K. aren't in the EU but why let an inconvenient fact get in the way of a point, eh? Neither country have any indigenous penguins either.

The US Healthcare sector and consumer is not forced to purchase any High-tech Pharmaceuticals from anyone but by the very nature of such large purchases they clearly choose to do so by free will.

The figures are a more damning statement about US Drug Companies' ability to supply their own market, cost-effectively, than anything else.

May 12, 2025 11:30am — Edited

Quoting Vancarbon

Disliked

{quote} In fairness Dajo , I think Aaron states AI generated : I also agree with yourself about the outsourcing issue in the US pharma industry , this however doesn't detract that pharma is such a powerful lobby globally that price discrepancies are generally caused by supply/demand and the highest bidder protocol . Exploitation is rife .

Ignored

Yes, true, VC, it is stated as AI Generated and it refers to Europe, not EU. AW was making the point about the EU.

May 12, 2025 11:34am

Quoting AaronWard

Disliked

{quote} Actually, the stats generated say "Europe" not EU.

Ignored

Yes, AW, I accept that you'd requoted a Europe AI-generated fact but opened the point with finger-pointing the EU.

Jr123

May 12, 2025 12:06pm

Quoting Trader#BA78

Disliked

{quote} Bidens disaster* We have a fighter in the White House now. We used to have an old man in a diaper.

Ignored

Your delusional. Trump is the old man in the diaper.
Now he's going after china by lowering tariffs below what Bidden had implemented.
The guy definitely has Dementia.

Trader#BA78

May 12, 2025 12:19pm

Quoting Jr123

Disliked

{quote} Your delusional. Trump is the old man in the diaper. Now he's going after china by lowering tariffs below what Bidden had implemented. The guy definitely has Dementia.

Ignored

Good one snowflake

Trader#B749

May 12, 2025 12:28pm

Quoting Jr123

Disliked

{quote} Your delusional. Trump is the old man in the diaper. Now he's going after china by lowering tariffs below what Bidden had implemented. The guy definitely has Dementia.

Ignored

You must have taken one too many hockey pucks to your head !

Trader#B8DE

May 12, 2025 9:36am

I would be very careful with words he is going to say next. Puting restrictions on what Trump is saying in social media was a good move, to calm and stabilize the economic situation. But now, here we go again even if he need to face the disaster with pushing China around.

Trader#BA78

May 12, 2025 11:52am

Quoting Trader#DF60

Disliked

Trump is taking credit for fixing his own disaster!

Ignored

Bidens disaster*

We have a fighter in the White House now. We used to have an old man in a diaper.

Trader#78E1

May 12, 2025 6:33pm

Quoting Trader#BA78

Disliked

{quote} Bidens disaster* We have a fighter in the White House now. We used to have an old man in a diaper.

Ignored

Don't pretend he has a clue, you traded one senile old geriatric for another. The economy did a helluva lot better with sleepy Joe at the helm. Enjoy the coming recession

Trader#5E8D

May 12, 2025 10:13am

Yes, EU is the main culprit. Can pay more for the NATO protection and trade surplus with US.

Trader#DF60

May 12, 2025 11:46am

Trump is taking credit for fixing his own disaster!

Trader#DD59

May 12, 2025 5:13pm

He's aligned with Putin, period

Leaving Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations = pro-Putin

Trader#E725

May 12, 2025 7:16pm

Quoting Trader#5E8D

Disliked

Yes, EU is the main culprit. Can pay more for the NATO protection and trade surplus with US.

Ignored

duh uk isnt in EU muppet

Trader#20F2

May 12, 2025 1:42pm