Economy
Trump Built a Great Wall of Tariffs — But It Was America Trapped Inside
America's reciprocal tariff policy has paradoxically accelerated a sweeping realignment of global trade. The EU-India FTA, uniting a $27 trillion market and two billion people, and the EU-MERCOSUR FTA have been finalized without American participation, shifting the center of gravity in the world economy. With U.S. hot-rolled steel prices hitting $1,000 per ton while the global benchmark sits at $472, and reshoring plans stalling at a 2% completion rate despite 81% of CEOs announcing them, the self-defeating nature of protectionism is laid bare.