Trump Tests China

A drawing from 2012

China is poised to retaliate against Trump and his tariffs, by suspending exports of heavy rare earth minerals. China and the US are the two powerhouse economies in the world, and while there are significant issues with human rights in China, we should be working together economically. Trump is stupid, playing a game with a very savvy leader, Xi Jinping. China is so big and more economically strong than it has been in years, so Trump’s tactics will hardly matter to China. Heavy rare earth metals are used in car manufacturing and other engine systems, drones and are “vital ingredients in capacitors, which are electrical components of the computer chips that power artificial intelligence servers and smartphones.”

“During Trump’s first presidency, tariffs and export restrictions spurred China to greater self-reliance and domestic innovation. This latest round will reveal the depth of mutual dependency and how much reciprocal pain each side can inflict on the other.”

Marco Rubio is planning to expel 10 more people to El Salvador, claiming with no proof other than tatoos, they are gang members. The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration could continue to deport migrants using the Alien Enemies Act for now, overturning a lower court that had put a temporary stop to those deportations. But it did not address the contitutionality of using the Alien Enemies Act, saying only…