After Kudlow's comments, Trump added to his string of criticisms against Canada in a series of tweets on Sunday night.
"Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal," he tweeted. "According to a Canada release, they make almost 100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S. (guess they were bragging and got caught!).
I dont know what he is referring to. The US had a trade surplus with Canada in 2016 and regardless, trade surplusses are not inherently negative.
Minimum is 17B.
??
Tax Dairy from us at 270%. Then Justin acts hurt when called out!"
We dont tax all dairy, and in fact, the dairy product that sparked this issue, ultra-filtered milk, is tariff-free in Canada. We started making a competitive product, brought the price down to match, and, just as Americans would do at home, we started buying local. To boot, Canada grants the US 10% of our domestic market, while the US only gives us 3%, and the US has a trade surplus in dairy. Basically Trump is posturing to make some other play, not unlike the idiotic positions he takes on the coal industry at home.
He also asked why he should allow countries to amass "Massive Trade Surpluses, as they have for decades, while our Farmers, Workers & Taxpayers have such a big and unfair price to pay? Not fair to the PEOPLE of America!"
As mentioned earlier, there has not been a trade surplus for Canada recently, and trade surplusses are not inherently bad. Trump behaves as if Americans must be winning in all categories in order for it to be fair. He is like an SJW in that regard and should fuck off.
He cited "a $800 Billion Trade Deficit" for the U.S., a number he's touted several times.
YAWN.
Trump says the U.S. "protects Europe" and "pays close to the entire cost of NATO."
The president concluded his tweetstorm by saying, "Sorry, we cannot let our friends, or enemies, take advantage of us on Trade anymore. We must put the American worker first!"
I mean NATO is more than just a financial arrangement, but whatever.
All of this sounds pretty reasonable to me.
You don't have a strong history of interrogating positions you agree with very strongly, so it is not surprising you find it all to be reasonable.