Letter to the editor: Trump's trade war holds you hostage

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 10.08.26

In Mel Brooks’ ”Blazing Saddles,” a sheriff confronts an angry mob. He holds his own gun to his head and warns them he’ll shoot. Employing the same logic, Trump threatened the Federal Reserve, America’s central bank created by Congress to independently set interest rates. “LOWER THE RATE OR I’LL STOP TRADING WITH COUNTRIES WITH WHICH WE HAVE A DEFICIT,” Trump posted. The Fed voted unanimously to raise rates anyway.

The Wall Street Journal called Trump’s 2025 tariffs “The Dumbest Trade War in History.” When Trump hit Canada with a 50% tariff in 2026, the Journal said, “It got dumber.”

Trump claims: “We could do tremendous good for ourselves by just not trading with countries.” Targeting America’s closest friend, with whom we share the longest undefended border in the world, Trump said: “If we don’t do any trading with Canada ... we’d save ourselves $90 billion.”

America’s economy is being held hostage by a president who misunderstands trade and treats countries that sell us things like thieves. Just because we have a trade deficit with Canada doesn’t mean Canada is robbing us — it means we think the Canadian goods we buy are worth it.

The Beacon never buys anything from me, yet I buy it every week because it gives me news I can use. When it reported that Brunswick County loosened water restrictions, I was able to resume watering my lawn, which would have cost plenty to replace. I’ve had a ‘trade deficit’ with the Beacon for years, but it’s worth it to get information that helps me save money and find the goods and services I need.

America does the same thing. We have trade deficits with 97 countries and trade surpluses with 136. We buy what other countries do best and sell them what we do best. That’s capitalism, and it has made America the richest country in the world. Trump’s “dumbest trade war” threatens to end all that.

Larry Baker

Leland