Trump’s Tariff Letters Target Minor Players While Major Trade Partners Remain Shielded

President Donald Trump’s recent move to impose tariffs on seven lesser-known trading partners—including the Philippines, Brunei, and Moldova—signals a curious pattern: while loudly championing tariffs as a tool for American economic revival, he is avoiding the major industrial competitors who truly shape global trade dynamics. Why target nations that represent only a fraction of U.S. trade imbalances when the real economic heavyweights remain largely untouched? Are Tariffs on Small Economies More Symbolic Than Strategic? The announced tariffs—ranging from 20% to 30% on imports starting August 1—affect countries whose collective trade imbalances with the U.S. amount to mere rounding errors against...