Robert Reich: China Would Like Nothing Better than to Have Canada, Mexico, and EU All Battling the United States

LEMIRE Mr Secretary good ░░░░░░░░ Let s speak a ░░░░░░░░ further about the implications ░░░░░░░░ ramifications of these tariffs ░░░░░░░░ just economically obviously they ░░░░░░░░ paused but if they ░░░░░░░░ to return let s ░░░░░░░░ in 30 days time ░░░░░░░░ also the strain it ░░░░░░░░ on alliances I mean ░░░░░░░░ just sort of hinted ░░░░░░░░ it Both of these ░░░░░░░░ are our nearest neighbors ░░░░░░░░ know Prime Minister Trudeau ░░░░░░░░ Canada over the weekend ░░░░░░░░ about the real sense ░░░░░░░░ betrayal that he and ░░░░░░░░ people felt when Trump ░░░░░░░░ the tariffs would be ░░░░░░░░ in place These leaders ░░░░░░░░ might be moved to ░░░░░░░░ their relationships with the ░░░░░░░░ States and seek comfort ░░░░░░░░ REICH I think you ░░░░░░░░ Canada is not only ░░░░░░░░ most important ally in ░░░░░░░░ many respects and our ░░░░░░░░ but we rely on ░░░░░░░░ We ve always relied ░░░░░░░░ Canada and Canada is ░░░░░░░░ dependent on us Many ░░░░░░░░ are just like many ░░░░░░░░ I m assuming are ░░░░░░░░ their view of the ░░░░░░░░ States and Americans generally ░░░░░░░░ mean can we rely ░░░░░░░░ say on this gigantic ░░░░░░░░ of force either to ░░░░░░░░ to our south or ░░░░░░░░ our north in terms ░░░░░░░░ relying on their Rationale ░░░░░░░░ on their reasonableness relying ░░░░░░░░ their friendship And again ░░░░░░░░ bullying techniques used by ░░░░░░░░ are undermining very very ░░░░░░░░ very very important established ░░░░░░░░ KAY So Mr Secretary ░░░░░░░░ would that reevaluation look ░░░░░░░░ in practice in terms ░░░░░░░░ both imports and exports ░░░░░░░░ say a country like ░░░░░░░░ or Mexico What are ░░░░░░░░ alternative markets that they ░░░░░░░░ develop to potentially replace ░░░░░░░░ at least supplement the ░░░░░░░░ States Do they exist ░░░░░░░░ markets REICH Well there ░░░░░░░░ very important markets around ░░░░░░░░ world And Trump is ░░░░░░░░ about his next target ░░░░░░░░ Europe and slapping big ░░░░░░░░ on Europe Well the ░░░░░░░░ trade between Canada and ░░░░░░░░ and Mexico already very ░░░░░░░░ could get much larger ░░░░░░░░ of the big beneficiaries ░░░░░░░░ that s not being ░░░░░░░░ about is China China ░░░░░░░░ like nothing better than ░░░░░░░░ have Canada and Mexico ░░░░░░░░ Europe and the European ░░░░░░░░ all battling the United ░░░░░░░░ because that would give ░░░░░░░░ opening to China Southeast ░░░░░░░░ where many many of ░░░░░░░░ goods that are coming ░░░░░░░░ the United States and ░░░░░░░░ going to Canada and ░░░░░░░░ and Europe originate from ░░░░░░░░ Southeast Asia is a ░░░░░░░░ player here as well ░░░░░░░░ I m sure is ░░░░░░░░ the trade routes and ░░░░░░░░ trade relationships BRZEZINSKI So ░░░░░░░░ tariff wars will continue ░░░░░░░░ Branch out And what ░░░░░░░░ your predictions concerns about ░░░░░░░░ impact on the health ░░░░░░░░ the U S economy ░░░░░░░░ Well it s not ░░░░░░░░ the health of the ░░░░░░░░ S economy it s ░░░░░░░░ health of Americans I ░░░░░░░░ the fundamental issue here ░░░░░░░░ not only jobs it ░░░░░░░░ wages It s Americans ░░░░░░░░ to the kind of ░░░░░░░░ we need around the ░░░░░░░░ It s the problem ░░░░░░░░ prices My worry here ░░░░░░░░ is that in in ░░░░░░░░ of Trump s drive ░░░░░░░░ show himself as very ░░░░░░░░ that nobody can stop ░░░░░░░░ that he is the ░░░░░░░░ of bullies he is ░░░░░░░░ to increase prices I ░░░░░░░░ tariffs are essentially as ░░░░░░░░ now are learning as ░░░░░░░░ people know taxes they ░░░░░░░░ the costs of goods ░░░░░░░░ into the United States ░░░░░░░░ lot of Americans are ░░░░░░░░ to be paying much ░░░░░░░░ or could be paying ░░░░░░░░ more A lot of ░░░░░░░░ suppliers to many of ░░░░░░░░ companies are getting nervous ░░░░░░░░ already raising prices even ░░░░░░░░ we speak It s ░░░░░░░░ just the stock market ░░░░░░░░ m talking about really ░░░░░░░░ wages and prices the ░░░░░░░░ in terms of our ░░░░░░░░ A lot of people ░░░░░░░░ be very hurt and ░░░░░░░░ people are being very ░░░░░░░░ right now.”