As of 2024, the total goods trade between India and the United States reached approximately $129.2 billion, with U.S. exports to India at $41.8 billion and imports from India at $87.4 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $45.7 billion for the U.S. (India | United States Trade Representative)
Mapping the Path to $500 Billion by 2030
Achieving a bilateral trade volume of $500 billion by 2030 would require an annual growth rate of approximately 20%. Several scenarios could contribute to this ambitious target:
Beyond goods, services trade, including information technology, business process outsourcing, and financial services, is a significant component of India-U.S. trade. Enhancing cooperation in these areas could contribute substantially to reaching the $500 billion target.
Projected Trade Composition at $500 Billion
India's Exports to the U.S.
Electronics and Semiconductors: India's electronics exports have been growing, with mobile phones and other electronics forming a significant portion.
Pharmaceuticals: India is a major supplier of generic drugs to the U.S., a trend likely to continue.
Textiles and Apparel: Traditional strengths in textiles could see further growth.
Energy Products: Exports of crude oil, LNG, and coal are expected to rise.
Aerospace and Defense Equipment: India's modernization efforts may lead to increased imports of U.S. aircraft and defense systems.
Agricultural Products: Reduced tariffs could boost exports of almonds, walnuts, and other produce.
Technology and Services: Software, cloud services, and other tech exports are poised for growth.
Conclusion
Reaching a $500 billion trade volume by 2030 is ambitious but achievable through strategic agreements, supply chain diversification, and growth in both goods and services trade. Both nations stand to benefit from a strengthened economic partnership. (India-US embark on a new era of trade and economic partnership)
So, like what’s going to happen first? A massive trade announcement that sends markets ripping, or reports of empty store shelves that send them lower? Because I feel like that’s what we’re all waiting for.
First, context: Balakot Strike (2019) was a calibrated move. India struck deep inside Pakistan (Balakot, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) after the Pulwama terrorist attack. Importantly, the target was a non-military, non-civilian facility — a terrorist training camp. This careful choice helped India manage escalation:
It avoided Pakistani military and civilian casualties.
It allowed Pakistan to respond (symbolically) without triggering a major war.
It signaled political and military resolve to Indian and global audiences.
Since then, Pakistan’s nuclear posture (full-spectrum deterrence) and global diplomatic concerns (especially U.S., China) continue to constrain how far India can go.
Now: What similar or evolved options does India have today for punitive action inside Pakistan without triggering major escalation?
Special forces raids into PoK or even settled Pakistani territory.
Hit very specific terror launchpads or leadership targets.
Disavow if necessary ("plausible deniability").
2. Air Strikes 2.0 (Precision Air-Launched Attacks):
Like Balakot, deep air raids targeting terror camps, training centers, or even high-value terror leaders.
Could now be even more precise with longer-range standoff weapons (e.g., Spice 2000 smart bombs, BrahMos-A missiles from Sukhois).
3. Cyber Operations:
Paralyze terrorist networks electronically.
Hit communications, financial networks, logistics planning systems based inside Pakistan.
Lower risk of kinetic retaliation.
4. Targeted Decapitation Strikes:
Focused assassination of major terrorist leaders across the border (covert or with drones).
Harder to attribute directly to India (plausible deniability).
5. Maritime Actions (limited):
Disruption of Pakistan's maritime supply lines (e.g., Gwadar logistics) without directly attacking Pakistani military vessels.
Riskier but symbolic.
6. Strategic Psychological Warfare:
Expose Pakistan’s links with terrorism globally.
Use leaks, diplomatic pressure, intelligence disclosures to isolate Pakistan diplomatically (as an extension, not a substitute for physical action).
Is patience the name of the game? Should India wait?
It depends on several variables:
Timing: Is the provocation significant enough? (E.g., Balakot followed Pulwama — a horrific attack.)
International Context: Right now, global attention is fragmented (Ukraine, Gaza, Taiwan). A move must be timed carefully to avoid global blowback.
Pakistan’s Stability: Pakistan is internally weak economically and politically. Striking during extreme instability could backfire by uniting them.
Thus: Patience + Preparation seems wise — but not passivity.
India must remain visibly ready to strike, forcing Pakistan to think twice.
Eventual strike options if escalation is necessary:
If India is finally compelled to escalate (say, after another major attack on Indian soil), the ladder of escalation could look like this:
Isolated Terror Camp Airstrikes
Covert Special Forces Raids
Cyber Warfare Campaign
Selective Escalation in LoC/PoK
Targeted Strikes on Pakistan Army assets supporting terrorists
Broad Conventional Attack limited to PoK
Nuclear Threshold Warning:
India must avoid threatening the survival of the Pakistani state or its military directly — that would risk invoking their tactical nuclear doctrine.
Summary View:
Short term: Patience + readiness.
Medium term: Maintain the Balakot playbook: calibrated, deniable, non-civilian, non-military attacks.
Long term: Invest heavily in cyber, drones, intelligence, and long-range precision munitions to keep options open.
Big picture:
Strike without giving Pakistan an excuse to escalate.
Win the perception war as much as the battlefield result.
India's Follow-up: Stronger second airstrike + full diplomatic offensive globally. Outcome: Tense few weeks, but war avoided; Pakistan internationally isolated.
Path 3: Dangerous Spiral (to Avoid)
Trigger: Mass-casualty terror attack (X1)
India's Move: Multi-domain attack (Y5)
Pakistani Response: Mass military mobilization + nuclear threats (Z3, Z5)
India's Follow-up: Emergency international engagement, force de-escalation through backchannels. Outcome: Extremely risky; risk of uncontrolled conflict high.
Summary Recommendations
✔️ Prefer Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 combinations — limited, focused, hard-to-escalate responses.
✔️ Time actions very precisely — never in the middle of global crises (Ukraine, Gaza flare-ups, etc.).
✔️ Never allow Pakistan’s army to lose face entirely — aim for painful but survivable blows.
✔️ Prepare deep alliances with Middle East, ASEAN, Europe to diplomatically back Indian actions if needed.
🇮🇳 India’s 5-Point Rapid Response Plan for Future Cross-Border Strikes
1. Define the Red Lines (Triggers to Act)
✅ Pre-identify thresholds that will trigger a mandatory response:
Mass-casualty terror attack (civilian or military).
Assassination of high-profile individuals.
Large-scale drone, cyber, or missile attack.
Evidence of imminent cross-border terror infiltrations (locally actionable).
Key:
Don't act impulsively on small provocations.
Act decisively when the threshold is crossed.
2. Prepare "Escalation-Resistant" Strike Packages
✅ Keep a rotating menu of strike options ready — low to medium intensity:
Option
Details
Escalation Risk
Airstrike Package Alpha
Deep terrorist camp strikes with precision bombs
Moderate
Covert Op Bravo
Special forces hit squad against select targets
Low-Moderate
Cyber Strike Charlie
Attack on terror group servers, communications, logistics
Low
Targeted Elimination Delta
Remove high-value terrorist leaders
Low-Moderate
Each package must be fully rehearsed, approved in advance, logistics ready (air refueling, electronic warfare, diplomatic messaging).
3. Control the Public and Diplomatic Narrative
✅ Before the strike:
Prepare public messaging that the attack is defensive, necessary, and limited.
Quietly alert key global players (U.S., France, Russia, Japan, Gulf allies) to India's limited intentions.
✅ After the strike:
Immediate announcement: Emphasize counter-terrorism, not anti-Pakistan actions.
Offer de-escalation immediately — but only after clear punishment is delivered.
4. Fortify for Measured Retaliation
✅ Assume Pakistan will respond in some way (artillery fire, cyber attacks, minor airspace intrusions).
Mobilize anti-air defense and radars in northern sectors (LoC, IB).
Prepare immediate second-strike response if needed (pre-authorized, proportional).
Keep Indian offensive military deployments visible but not fully activated (no full war mobilization unless absolutely necessary).
5. Maintain Strategic Patience After the First Blow
✅ After India's strike, immediately move to:
Diplomatically consolidate: seek global support.
Defend LoC sectors heavily (to prevent proxy terror escalation).
Avoid launching second major strikes unless there is massive provocation.
Remember:
Victory is not just military.
Victory = hitting Pakistan hard enough + stopping escalation + gaining global sympathy.
One-Page Summary:
🇮🇳 5-Point Strike Readiness Plan
Step
Description
1
Define Red Lines (terror attacks, mass casualties, major provocations)
Q: "Trump's strategy has been to announce these tariffs, then dial some back, pause them, make exceptions. Explain why you see this as a good negotiating strategy?"
Bessent: "It's called strategic uncertainty...Nobody's better at creating this leverage than President Trump." pic.twitter.com/eNjXhFnwcl
What India Can Learn from Israel: Strategic Depth, Surgical Strikes, and the Pakistan Dilemma
The recent terrorist attack in Kashmir has again raised pressing questions about India’s response strategy to asymmetric warfare emanating from Pakistani soil. While the calls for justice are loud, the geopolitical context remains perilous. Unlike Gaza or even Syria, Pakistan is a nuclear power. A full-scale India-Pakistan war would be catastrophic for both nations—and potentially for the world. That is why the focus must shift to precision, not provocation. In this regard, Israel's approach to counter-terrorism offers key lessons for India.
1. Understanding the Pakistan Terrain: A Different Beast from Gaza
Pakistan is not a failed state. It is a complex state with competing power centers—civilian leadership, the military establishment, and the shadowy corridors of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Any comparison with Gaza or Syria must be tempered by this reality.
While Gaza is largely under the control of Hamas and remains outside the formal state system of Israel’s adversaries, Pakistan presents a paradox: it is a functioning state that claims to be a victim of terrorism while parts of its own military-intelligence complex are accused of sponsoring or sheltering these same groups.
2. Can There Be Rogue Elements Inside Pakistan's Power Structure?
The idea that elements within the ISI or Pakistan Army might sponsor terrorist activities without the explicit approval of the Prime Minister or even the Army Chief is not far-fetched. Pakistan’s statecraft has long been described as a "deep state" operation—where elected governments are often sidelined in matters of national security.
This murky internal dynamic means that diplomatic engagement with Islamabad can be met with deniability while covert actors operate with relative impunity. Thus, surgical strikes must be calibrated to avoid wide-scale military escalation while delivering a strong, targeted message.
3. Pakistan’s Claim of Being a Terrorism Victim: A Half-Truth?
Islamabad routinely states it is a victim of terrorism, citing attacks from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and others. While factually true, this claim must be dissected. Many of the groups targeting Pakistan today were once proxies fostered by the Pakistani state for strategic depth in Afghanistan and Kashmir.
However, over time, these assets have mutated into threats. This duality makes Pakistan’s victimhood complex—but it does not exonerate elements within its state from supporting anti-India actors.
4. Learning from Israel: Surgical Precision and Strategic Ambiguity
Israel has perfected the art of preemptive, deniable, and deeply strategic surgical strikes, including:
Cyber warfare (e.g., Stuxnet against Iranian nuclear facilities)
Airstrikes deep into Syrian territory
Covert assassinations of nuclear scientists and terror masterminds
Use of drones and loitering munitions
Satellite-guided precision missiles
All of this is done with:
A policy of strategic ambiguity—neither confirming nor denying operations.
Tight integration between Mossad, military intelligence, and elite strike units like Sayeret Matkal.
Multi-layered surveillance and HUMINT (human intelligence).
India has some of these capabilities through RAW, NTRO, and its special forces units like Para SF and MARCOS, but the coordination, covertness, and global intelligence network that Israel uses must be further developed.
5. What Could a Surgical Strike Look Like? Possible Options for India
Given the risks of escalation, India's counter-strike must avoid triggering a war. Potential surgical options include:
Airstrikes using stealth drones or cruise missiles (e.g., Nirbhay or BrahMos variants)
Covert infiltration by special forces to neutralize camps or terror leaders
Cyber sabotage of terror logistics and funding channels
High-value target elimination (HVT) via drone strikes or covert units
EMP or jamming operations to disable communications in specific terror hubs
Targets could include:
Training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)
Safe houses in Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Terror finance hubs in urban areas like Karachi or Rawalpindi (only via cyber routes)
Command-and-control nodes linked to proxy groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed or Lashkar-e-Taiba
6. India’s Red Lines: Avoid Escalation, Maintain Moral High Ground
Unlike Israel, India must manage a highly volatile border with a nuclear-armed adversary. Therefore:
All strikes must be time-boxed and objective-bound.
Civilian casualties must be strictly avoided.
There must be clear post-strike communication to the global community explaining the rationale.
7. Beyond the Battlefield: A Long-Term Doctrine
To truly counter cross-border terrorism, India must adopt a multi-dimensional doctrine:
Strengthen intelligence alliances with Israel, the U.S., and UAE
Dominate the narrative globally through strategic communication
Invest in AI and satellite surveillance to track terror camps in real-time
Create economic consequences through FATF, sanctions advocacy, and targeted disinformation takedown
Final Thoughts
India's path forward must be one of calculated resolve, not emotional retaliation. The enemy thrives in the shadows. It must be countered with stealth, not sabers. Israel’s legacy in preemptive defense offers a playbook—but India must rewrite it for the subcontinent’s nuclear neighborhood.
The question is not whether India will strike back—it is how it can do so with maximum impact and minimal escalation. In that answer lies the future stability of South Asia.
If there ever was a time for India to think like a 21st-century power, it is now—not by waging war, but by mastering precision.
Toward $500 Billion: Can India and the US Double Trade in a Turbulent World?
Introduction: A New Trade Axis?
In the shadow of U.S.-China decoupling and the larger unraveling of global supply chains, a historic opportunity is emerging between the United States and India. With the ambition to double bilateral trade from ~$200–$250 billion to $500 billion by 2030, both democracies are looking beyond transactional exchanges toward a strategic economic alignment. Could this be a “new special relationship,” with India stepping into a role once held by Britain — America’s most important ally? The implications are vast: from reshaping global manufacturing to cementing a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
1. The Trade War Backdrop: Opportunity in Disruption
As the U.S. imposes unprecedented tariffs on China — 25%, 50%, even 100%+ in some sectors — American companies are urgently looking for alternatives. China, once the default “factory of the world,” is no longer politically safe or strategically trusted. This exodus is India’s moment.
China+1 becomes China–1: U.S. firms want supply chain resilience and low-cost manufacturing.
India’s demographics: A young, English-speaking workforce and expanding middle class make it a natural partner.
2. India as the “New Britain”? A Strategic Alignment
The comparison is striking: In the 20th century, Britain offered the U.S. geopolitical alignment, shared values, and global reach. In the 21st, India offers something similar — but with an emerging economy and 1.4 billion people.
Defense: Joint military exercises, arms deals, Indo-Pacific cooperation.
Diplomacy: Shared concerns on authoritarianism, terrorism, and Chinese expansion.
Technology: Cooperation on semiconductors, AI, space, and clean energy.
This goes beyond trade — toward a civilizational partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies.
3. Can It Spark a Manufacturing Boom in India?
If the U.S. pours FDI into India, the country could finally see the industrial takeoff it has long waited for.
Semiconductors: India is being courted for chip fabrication, testing, and packaging.
Defense manufacturing: Co-production of weapons systems and aircraft is on the rise.
Electronics: Apple’s supply chain is already shifting to India, with others to follow.
Green tech: Joint investments in EVs, solar panels, and hydrogen fuel are on the table.
But to truly seize this moment, India must reform.
4. Is India Ready Internally?
Yes — and no. India has made notable strides in recent years, but the ambition of $500 billion demands a faster pace of change.
Progress so far:
GST unification has simplified indirect taxes.
PLI schemes incentivize domestic production.
Infrastructure is rapidly improving: roads, ports, fiber optics, and industrial corridors.
Still needed:
Labor law reform for flexibility and scale.
Land acquisition reform for industrial zones.
Financial system modernization for rapid capital flow.
Judiciary and contract enforcement reforms to assure U.S. investors.
With Modi 3.0 in office, the political will exists. The 2024 election has given the government another mandate — albeit narrower — to push reform aggressively.
5. Could the U.S. Inject Massive FDI?
Yes, and it’s already happening — but more can be done:
Silicon Valley–Bengaluru tech corridors can be expanded.
Defense co-production can attract billions from Lockheed, Boeing, and Raytheon.
Clean energy and critical minerals partnerships can mobilize green capital.
U.S. pension funds and private equity can help scale Indian infrastructure.
For the U.S., investing in India is both economic diversification and geopolitical insurance.
6. Will the $500 Billion Target Materialize?
High probability — if:
India accelerates reform.
U.S. continues China decoupling.
Bureaucratic frictions are resolved (e.g., data laws, trade barriers).
Strategic trust remains intact through administrations in both countries.
Given the convergence of strategic interests, the 500B target is not a pipe dream, but a realistic scenario with the right policy mix.
7. Beyond Trade: The Non-Trade Dimensions
This partnership has implications far beyond exports and imports:
AI & Tech Regulation: Joint frameworks for ethical AI, digital governance.
Climate Leadership: U.S. tech + Indian scale = global green transformation.
Space & Quantum Research: NASA-ISRO collaboration is only the beginning.
Diaspora Diplomacy: 5 million Indian-Americans form a powerful bridge.
And geopolitically:
Balancing China: A stable Indo-Pacific requires Indo-U.S. synergy.
Reforming Global Institutions: From the UN to the IMF, joint leadership could drive overdue reforms.
South-South Tech Transfer: India as a knowledge hub for Africa and Southeast Asia — with U.S. backing.
Conclusion: The Dawn of a Democratic Arc?
If the 20th century was about U.S.-Europe integration, the 21st may be defined by U.S.-India alignment — a fusion of technology, trade, democracy, and defense. The $500 billion trade target is just one marker of a much larger transformation — a shift in the center of gravity of global partnerships.
India is not just America’s “next partner.” It may be its last great partner — for a world that must rebuild trust, sustainability, and peace in an age of fragmentation.
Has the alignment begun? Yes. Will it succeed? Only if both sides move fast, reform deep, and dream big.
"Maybe I Can Live In India": What JD Vance's Son Said After PM's Dinner Mr Vance, who arrived in India for a four-day visit with his wife Usha Vance and three children on Monday evening, said his affection for Mr Modi flowed from his kids' perception of the Indian Prime Minister........ Mr Vance also said Mr Modi is a "serious leader, who has thought deeply of India's prosperity and security not just the rest of his time in office but over the next century".
J.D. Vance flies into a giant trade storm in India It is being wooed and squeezed by America and China ......... China is turning up the heat. On the same day that Mr Vance arrived it warned the world against “appeasement”. “China firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of Chinese interests…and will resolutely take countermeasures”. ....... Mr Modi was looking forward to Mr Trump visiting India later this year. ......... With the prospect of a rupture between China and the United States, some American firms are looking to India as a production base, including Apple which already makes 20% of iPhones there. ........... American tariffs pose a “grave threat”, said Xu Feihong, the Chinese ambassador to India, in an interview published on April 19th. He added that India and China have “vast potential for co-operation” and should “oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism”. Before Mr Trump’s trade war the Asian giants had resolved a four-year standoff over a disputed border. They were talking about resuming direct flights. And India was starting to allow more Chinese investment in manufacturing to cut its reliance on imports from China. The border remains calm and the two sides have agreed to resume pilgrimages of Indian Buddhists and Hindus to Tibet. China is also pledging to buy more Indian goods. .......... India shares many of America’s fears about China. Indian military and intelligence officials worry about further border incursions in the Himalayas, China’s influence in South Asia, its military operations in the Indian Ocean, and Chinese technology in Indian infrastructure. Indian officials fret too about the trade deficit with China, which kept growing after the border clash, reaching $99bn in 2024-25. ........... Many Indian exports to America (and elsewhere) depend on Chinese components. The pharmaceutical sector, one of the biggest exporters to America, relies on China for 70% of precursor chemicals. The smartphone industry, a rare success story in Mr Modi’s scheme to attract foreign manufacturers with generous subsidies, needs China too. Phones are assembled largely from imported components, including many from China. ......... whatever the rules, India cannot quickly cut its dependence on China, which is prevalent even in low-tech industries such as textiles and leather goods. “I don’t see any alternative to China emerging in at least a decade” ............ India would not, for now, approve an application for BYD, a Chinese EV-maker, to invest $1bn in an Indian joint venture. ............ There could be fierce domestic resistance to a trade deal, especially if Mr Trump insists on opening India’s agricultural sector (a big employer) and its e-commerce market, which is dominated by some of its richest tycoons. Mr Trump may not allow more visas for Indian professionals, given his immigration policy. ........... Any agreement to further curtail Chinese involvement in India’s economy could make manufacturing harder and prompt Chinese retaliation. India has never had simple choices in dealing with its giant eastern neighbour. Mr Trump’s trade war isn’t making it any easier.
First stop Akshardham Temple for Vances, U.S. VP says his 'kids, in particular, loved it' “A carved wooden elephant, a model of the Delhi Akshardham Temple and children’s books were gifted to the family” ....... "The U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children visited Swaminarayan Akshardham in Delhi 'their first stop in India' experiencing its majestic art, architecture and timeless values of faith, family and harmony." "The Vance family explored the mandir's majestic art and architecture, experiencing India's heritage and cultural depth and they appreciated the messages of harmony, family values, and timeless wisdom embodied in the Akshardham campus," it added. ......... Swaminarayan, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, established the Swaminarayan faith and renewed the ideals of Hinduism in 18th century India. He established a spiritual way of life and code of conduct to be followed, according to the website of BAPS Swaminarayan.
American cities where house prices are crashing fastest... including four Texas hotspots House prices have soared almost 50 percent since the pandemic, but fears of a recession tied to Trump's aggressive tariffs have put homebuying on pause for many Americans. ........ 10 of the 50 biggest cities saw prices decrease year-on-year, mostly in Texas and Florida ....... Places like Dallas and Austin were once seen as affordable alternatives to high-cost cities like San Francisco and New York, but now the gap in housing costs between big-city job centers and Sun Belt metros has shrunk. ........ Moving to Texas is also less attractive than it used to be because of the increasing frequency and intensity of climate disasters such as hurricanes.
The Dow, which lost about 1,000 points on Monday, might chalk up its worst April since 1932. The index began April at about 42,000, and it's now just above 38,000......... The benchmark S&P 500's run since Inauguration Day is now the worst through this day for any president going back to 1928. It's down about 14% in that span......... The US dollar continued to weaken Tuesday against most foreign currencies as investors shed their exposure to it
It’s All Sunshine as the Vance Family Arrives in India Those tariff clouds? Indians wish them away as they welcome Vice President JD Vance for a four-day visit. ........ India is searching for any sign that it will be able to dodge the steep tariffs threatened by the Trump administration as it rushes to reorder global trade. ......... “This visit is very significant, coming at a time when there is unease internationally about what the Trump administration has been doing to friendly countries, including India,” said Happymon Jacob, an associate professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. “This is a visit to reassure India that the relationship is not going to completely go astray.” ............ Mr. Trump has called India an “abuser” of tariffs and a “tariff king.” Before he put a 90-day pause on his so-called reciprocal tariffs this month, Indian exports to the United States were facing levies of 27 percent — a number calculated on the basis of the size of America’s trade deficit with India............ As it has pursued negotiations with the United States, its largest trading partner and biggest export market, India has taken an accommodating stance, slashing duties on some imports of American goods. ........... In February, when Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump met in Washington, they sketched out a trade agreement that would aim for $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 — more than double the current amount. ........ The outline contained various give-and-takes. The United States would sell and co-produce more defense equipment that India needs to patrol its borders. India would buy more U.S. crude oil and liquefied natural gas and tackle illegal immigration more forcefully. And America would continue its support for maintaining security in the Indo-Pacific region. ........ Mr. Trump is expected to visit India in the fall to attend a Quad summit. ........... The American Immigration Lawyers Association said last week that Indian students in the United States, more than any other foreign student group, had been targeted for visa revocations by the Trump administration. The administration has voided hundreds of student visas across the United States as it restricts immigration and some speech on campuses.
With Only Bad Options, Businesses Scramble for a Tariff Chaos Playbook President Trump’s trade war is forcing companies to cut costs, raise prices, shrink profits, discontinue products and find other suppliers. .......... Businesses that rely on imported products expected duties, which President Trump had promised. Just not this high, this universal or this sudden, with almost no time to adjust. A 145 percent tariff on all Chinese products, after all, is more like a trade wall than a mere barrier. .......... dependence on a single market, however cheap and efficient, is unwise. ........ factories outside of China are getting flooded with orders. ......... the tariffs, if sustained, would reduce the share of U.S. imports that come from China to 5 percent from 13 percent. .......... bigger companies that built up inventory in advance of Mr. Trump’s inauguration, anticipating what was to come. Corporate profits are near record highs, so they might accept narrower margins, at least for a while. ..........
Republican Support Collapses Under Donald Trump if an election for Congress were held today, 48 percent would vote for the Democrat on their ballot, while 44 percent would vote for the Republican.......... Before Trump was inaugurated on January 20, Republicans had a seven-point lead of 51 percent to the Democrats' 44 percent. ...... for the first time since May 2021, the GOP was seen as less trustworthy than Democrats with the nation's finances. ......... the midterm elections will bring about a major shift in the makeup of the House of Representatives, with an overwhelming victory for Democratic House candidates. This view reflects the negative ratings held by a Republican led Administration, virtually in every significant category, related to political success, including the state of the economy, employment, inflation and especially lack of optimism being displayed by the vast number of Americans."
Supreme Court Just Signaled It May 'Go Toe to Toe' With Trump—Legal Analyst this represents a significant judicial challenge to presidential authority, characterizing it on social media platform Bluesky as "potentially a massive signal from the Supreme Court that it is finally prepared to go toe to toe with Trump to halt AEA deportations." ........ The president has said most detentions and deportations would target individuals with criminal records. However, in recent weeks, there have been multiple reports of people without criminal convictions, and some with valid documentation, being detained for deportation. .......... Saturday's ruling is particularly significant since it comes from a Court with a 6-3 conservative majority, including justices appointed during Trump's first term. ............ "It is SO unusual for the Supreme Court to issue an order this late at night and honestly incredible only Thomas and Alito noted their dissents. Also fascinating that SCOTUS rushed out the order before Alito could finish writing his dissent. That basically never happens! Again—majority seems pissed."
Liz Cheney Issues New Brutal Rebuke of Donald Trump "In a special mix of incompetence and evil, Trump has combined his disastrous implementation of 1930s tariff policies with Stalinesque targeting of political adversaries. The 2020 election wasn't stolen and speaking the truth is only a crime in countries ruled by tyrants," she wrote on X .......... Trump was impeached on January 13, 2021, by the House, with Cheney backing the effort. The Senate ultimately acquitted Trump, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for a conviction. However, a majority of senators, including five Republicans, voted to convict, with the final tally 57-43.
Republicans Have a Town Hall Problem Constituent anger has also risen in the past month, even in the deeply red districts, around hot topics such as proposed cuts to social security, Medicaid, and veterans' healthcare, as well as the White House's hard-line policies on migration and deportations. .......... During the March recess and the current April break, many Republicans, under guidance from the GOP, have chosen not to attend their own town halls, leading to some Democrats, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and California Representative Ro Khanna, going to the meetings instead, even out of their home states. .......... "These town halls tend to be dominated by committed partisans, exactly the kinds of individuals who will already show up and vote on Election Day." ......... "Democrats in 2009 and Republicans in 2017 both engaged in wishful thinking; that the pushback they were hearing at town halls were just a loud, unrepresentative minority. The midterm results each experienced speak for themselves." ........ One video from Republican Chuck Grassley's recent town hall in Iowa shows an older white male constituent in an American flag hat asking the 91-year-old senator: "Are you going to bring that guy back from El Salvador?" .......... "The voters we're hearing from don't want billionaires getting tax breaks funded by destroying healthcare, they don't want higher prices, and they don't want a recession." ........ DNC town halls have drawn large crowds in typically red states of Ohio and Tennessee, as well as in swing states Arizona and Pennsylvania, which both went for Trump in 2024. ......... Senator Elizabeth Warren received cheers from Tennessee voters when she spoke to 1,500 people at the DNC People's Town Hall in Nashville. ......... Town halls have gone from local events to national news due to videos of the meetings being shared across social media. .......... Republican Senator Jim Banks skipped a town hall organized by his constituents in Indiana in late March and sent doughnuts to the waiting crowd instead, whom he accused of being Democrats. ........ "Politicians who don't like hearing criticism from the people they work for—their constituents—should look for another line of work."
Some products simply can’t be made economically outside China right now, and they won’t be unless the current tariffs remain in place for many years. Globally integrated retailers may redirect some of their Chinese-made inventory to markets with lower tariffs, like Europe, while trying to find close substitutes produced in other countries to sell in the United States............ But consumers may notice fewer choices. ......... “supply chain engineering.” A product mostly made in China but finished in Thailand could result in a lower tax than one imported directly from China ........... Ultimately, few importers are going to be able to avoid charging more. ........ None of these strategies will solve importers’ problems entirely. They would much rather the tariffs just go away.
