Donald Trump, who once graced television screens with The Apprentice, is now reconstructing the global economy with the ratings weapon. He took the stage once again on April 2, 2025, declaring “Economic Independence Day.” He announced that he would impose a 10 percent general tax on all products imported by the US, 60 percent on China, and additional tariffs ranging from 20 to 24 percent on allies such as the European Union and Japan. With these tariffs, a period guaranteed to cause a fight on the world stage has begun. But is this really a “trade war” or just another “Trump episode”?
Tensions with China are no surprise to anyone. However, the fact that traditional allies such as the European Union, Japan, and South Korea are also being targeted shows that this step is not only about trade, but also about international trust. Trade is not just about money; it is also a table where trust, alliances, and long-term collaborations revolve. And this table is creaking a little today.
Trump’s rhetoric is familiar: “They fooled us, but now we’re waking up.” Economic indicators are mixed, global uncertainty is intense. The emphasis on external threats, nationalist rhetoric and calls for introversion are once again on the agenda. And this narrative is no longer just in the squares; it is echoing in media headlines, stock market screens and import bills. Transatlantic relations? They too have taken a season break like a Netflix series. NATO? For now, it prefers to stay out of the spotlight, behind the scenes. The economy is just the setting of this story. What makes the headlines is emotion. For Trump, the issue is not numbers; the emotion says, “We are protecting the American worker.” But broccoli is nine dollars. Supplies from China are delayed. According to The Guardian, with the new tariffs, inflation in the US could exceed 4 percent and the unemployment rate could reach 5.5 percent. Wall Street has already reacted.
According to Trump, tariffs are essential to closing the US’s foreign trade deficit, which exceeds 1 trillion 200 billion dollars. However, it is necessary to remind experts that the real reason for this deficit is structural preferences. The source of the problem is not China; the US’s economic model, which has moved away from production and is based on consumption, is the issue. In other words, the issue is not external forces, but internal dynamics. The results of the Smoot-Hawley Tariffs in the 1930s are still fresh in our minds: Global trade shrank, and the Great Depression that followed deepened. When we look at today’s picture, we need to ask the same question again: Are we repeating the same mistake, this time on a larger stage?
Moreover, it is not just China, but also the European Union that is preparing to respond. Brussels has put 26 billion Euros worth of counter-tariffs on the table. China said, “We will retaliate.” Japan issued its warning in a diplomatic manner but clearly. While the definition of alliance is being rewritten, trade is no longer just an economic issue but is turning into a diplomatic litmus test. Trump’s tariffs are not just technical steps that limit imports; they are also symbolic decisions that reflect the spirit of the age. These policies, adorned with populist rhetoric and supported by a language that fuels the “us and them” distinction; It is taking shape among strained relationships, cracking alliances and rapidly changing balances.
It is necessary to question whether these steps, which seem like a salvation plan, are damaging the trust in the global system and collapsing the culture of cooperation. Because once trust in the economy is broken, not only money but also people retreat and we? We "normal" people?
Once upon a time, we were dreaming of a fairer, more inclusive, more collaborative world. We thought that societies that came together through trade, technology and diplomacy would build a common future. What happened to those dreams? Is the next episode coming? Or have we actually been removed from that series long ago and we don't realize it?
