What Actually Mattered This Week: The Trade War Cometh

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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK

Trump implements tariffs on Mexico and Canada

President Trump implemented his sweeping 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada—then somewhat walked it back—as long as goods are covered by the USMCA free trade agreement signed during his first term.

Starting a trade war with America’s closest allies is a crazy idea.

Starting a trade war with America’s closest allies for only a few hours is merely stupid.

Jack Daniel's maker says Canada pulling US alcohol off shelves 'worse than tariff'

Tariffs come and go. Consumer anger tied to nationalism is harder to shake.

U.S. pauses intelligence sharing with Ukraine after cutting off military aid

I’m having a hard time seeing why the United States would risk Ukrainian civilian lives by cutting off intelligence support.

Having said that, fewer lives will probably be lost than from cutting USAID support for disease prevention.

Will The US Leave NATO? Officials Push Back Against Rising Doubts

If I were a foreign adversary of the United States, these are the core policies I would support:

1. leaving NATO and the United Nations
2. shutting down foreign aid
3. dismantling the professional us bureaucracy
4. removing safeguards for epidemics and disease

Can Europe broker a Ukraine ceasefire?

In geopolitics, some moments define decades. Europe is facing one of those inflection points right now.

In this week’s QuickTake, I look at Europe’s options following the United States’ shifting priorities.

TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS

-CBS News

THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN

THE GRAPHIC TRUTH

YOUR GZERO WORLD

As Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on, the Baltic states—Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania—are watching their eastern neighbor with growing concern. With cyberattacks, undersea sabotage, and military buildup along its border, Latvia is at the forefront of Europe’s efforts to counter Russian aggression. On GZERO World, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže joins me in New York to discuss Ukraine's fate, the region’s security challenges, the role of NATO, and how Trump’s evolving stance on Russia could leave Europeans in the lurch.

Also on the show, I speak with former Russian colonel Dmitri Trenin, who offers a starkly different perspective from Moscow, arguing that negotiations over Ukraine should be decided primarily by the US and Russia—not Ukraine or Europe.

For a longer, wider-ranging version of my interviews check out the GZERO World podcast.

WORLD IN 60

Does Trump's relationship with Putin isolate or concern China?

What does the resignation of Iran's Vice President Zarif signal about tensions in the country?

What's next for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire as the first phase comes to an end?

Find out in this week’s World in 60 seconds!

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BECAUSE THE INTERNET

Cartoon of the week:

WHAT TO READ THIS WEEK

The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West by Alexander C. Karp and Nicholas W. Zamiska

According to top execs at Palantir Technologies Alexander C. Karp and Nicholas W. Zamiska: “Silicon Valley has lost its way.” As tech companies rebuild their relationships with the United States government under the new administration, how can we ensure big tech companies remain accountable to the public good?

DEEP THOUGHTS

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” ― Pablo Neruda

Thanks for reading! Please subscribe to GZERO Daily for coverage of global politics. And make sure to read my latest book The Power of Crisis for a roadmap of this decade's great crises and how they might help us build a better world.

I am president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. I currently teach at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow me on X, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok,  Instagram, and Facebook.