It's-a Me, Mario! Trump's Tariff Troubles and Trade Triumphs (Maybe?)

Wa hoo! Tariff Time!

Mamma mia! Mario here bringing you the latest scoop hot off the press like a freshly baked pizza! Seems like President Trump he's a puttin' the hammer down on Japan and South Korea. He's slapping a 25% tariff on all their imports effective August 1st! It's like when Bowser steals the Princess… but instead of a princess it's money! And instead of Bowser it's... well you get the idea!

Trump's Truth Social Tango!

He announced it all on Truth Social posting letters to the leaders like he's sending out invitations to a Go Kart race! The White House says more letters are coming. It's like getting a barrage of Bullet Bills but instead of dodging countries are dealing with tariffs. I wonder if he's got a Super Star up his sleeve with this one!

Back and Forth like a Tennis Match!

Remember when Trump paused tariffs back in April? That was like a temporary invincibility star. Now he's bringing back the original more powerful versions! It's like going from a Mini Mushroom to a Super Mushroom only this time the countries on the receiving end aren't growing bigger their wallets are shrinking! The stock market? Oof! It took a dive. Dow Jones S&P 500 Nasdaq all taking a hit. It's a not a good look!

No Cheatin' with Transshipping!

And here's the kicker: no sneaky shortcuts through other countries to avoid the tariffs! Trump's sayin' "Goods transshipped to evade a higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff." That's like tryin' to use a Warp Zone to skip a level… but you end up right back at the start! No shortcuts on the Mushroom Kingdom... err United States... tariff policies!

Deficits: Are They Really Bad?

Trump's not a fan of trade deficits. He thinks the U.S. is gettin' bamboozled like when Bowser tries to trick me with a fake Princess! But some experts they're scratchin' their heads. They're sayin' "Are deficits really that bad?" It's like asking if Goombas are really that scary. (Okay maybe a little scary when they gang up!) In 2024 the U.S. had a hefty deficit with Japan and South Korea. That's a lot of coins missing from the U.S. piggy bank!

Don't Even Think About Retaliation!

And the final boss move? Trump's tellin' Japan and South Korea "Don't even think about raising your tariffs on us!" It's like telling Bowser not to breathe fire! He even added that if they eliminate all tariffs maybe just maybe he'll consider changing things. It's a long shot but 'Here we go!'. It's like chasing a star – you gotta be fast and persistent! He also made deals with the UK Vietnam and China. Only time will tell but for now 'Lets a go!'.