Grab your winnamins and hide the Ju-Ju bones. I thought this was going to be an issue when Prime Minister Trudeau publicly told reporters the content of a private conversation between Vice-President Mike Pence and himself.  With incredibly bad diplomatic form, Justin from Canada has not only cemented the Steel and Aluminum tariffs as permanent – but Trudeau has likely destroyed any hope of the U.S. remaining in NAFTA.

The White House has delivered a statement to the media, with a request to ensure authorship is directly and personally cited from President Donald J Trump:

The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade. Those days are over. Earlier today, this message was conveyed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: The United States will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all. (link)

For those unfamiliar; this is about as close to an ultimatum as President Donald Trump generally delivers to his adversaries.   Look back on his history and you’ll note rarely does Donald J Trump deliver ‘either this / or that’ approaches; it’s just not his style…. He doesn’t bluff.  However, when Trump has decided to walk away from a deal, any deal, he delivers the “either/or” right before walking to the door.  The final terms hang in the air providing the opposition with a few fleeting moments to reflect prior to exit.

Once DJT exits the room, no deal. Even if the counter-party chases him down the hall with full agreement of terms; doesn’t matter.  Once Trump exits, it’s done. Over.

During his public remarks earlier today, Prime Minister Trudeau said a DC meeting with President Trump didn’t occur earlier this week because Vice President Mike Pence told the prime minister if they were going to discuss saving NAFTA he must allow a five-year sunset clause to be included in the trade agreement in order for the meeting to even happen. Trudeau called the condition “completely unacceptable” and didn’t go to DC.

NAFTA is as close to dead as it has ever been.

Need more winnamins.

Consumer Alert: Currently unlawful to dispense, in Canada.

WHITE HOUSE –  Today, President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) to Dinesh D’Souza, an accomplished author, lecturer, and scholar.

Mr. D’Souza was, in the President’s opinion, a victim of selective prosecution for violations of campaign finance laws. Mr. D’Souza accepted responsibility for his actions, and also completed community service by teaching English to citizens and immigrants seeking citizenship.

In light of these facts, the President has determined that Mr. D’Souza is fully worthy of this pardon.(link)

Focusing a lot of today’s information on the economic front and the implementation of the U.S. America-First trade discussion because this is the very heart of the Trump MAGA initiatives.  Everyone who voted for President Trump should be grinning ear-to-ear today at how steadfast POTUS has been – against all economic adversaries foreign and domestic.

White House Trade Council Director Peter Navarro discusses the implementation of countervailing U.S. duties; the transshipment issues, NAFTA and the intended trade reset therein. “Economic Security is National Security“!

Justin from Canada presents one of the most ridiculous contexts for the U.S. 232 Steel and Aluminum tariff decision. Justin proclaims the imposition of countervailing duties by the U.S. indicates that President Trump considers Canada a national security threat. Seriously, I’m not kidding, that’s what he is stating – watch.  Additionally, his feelings are hurt.

Apparently Justin from Canada cannot draw a distinction between an industry being lost, and that loss being a national security risk, and the hurt feelings of the Canadian Prime Minister. Intensely ridiculous… even for Justin. Obviously the irrational liberals in both the U.S. and Canada will likely draw the same ridiculous and illogical conclusions.

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China, the EU, Canada and Mexico have been exploiting weak U.S. trade policy for years. Through the effective utilization of targeted tariffs, with multiple opportunities -and warnings- to avoid the outcome, President Trump and Wilbur Ross cut the Gordian Knot.

The Big Club, driven almost entirely by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Tom Donohue are going bananas….. They can’t believe Trump actually did it. He actually followed through. The Wall Street consortium of multinationals are apoplectic.

Decades of economic gaslighting upon the U.S. electorate; massive manipulative multinational corporate influences; hundreds of millions spent purchasing U.S. politicians; and POTUS has just punched it all square in the face.

Amid ongoing trade stalemates with NAFTA and the EU, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the U.S. Commerce Department will no longer provide exemptions for the European Union, Canada or Mexico on Steel/Aluminum tariffs.

In addition, a week ago, President Trump “instructed Secretary Ross to consider initiating a Section 232 investigation into imports of automobiles, including trucks, and automotive parts to determine their effects on Americas national security.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to conduct comprehensive investigations to determine the effects of imports of any article on the national security of the United States. As often stated by President Trump, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross: “economic security is national security.”

In its current form NAFTA became an exploited doorway into the coveted U.S. market. Asian economic interests, large multinational corporations, invested in Mexico and Canada as a way to work around any direct trade deals with the U.S. By shipping parts to Mexico and/or Canada; and by deploying satellite manufacturing and assembly facilities in Canada and/or Mexico; China, Asia and to a lesser extent EU corporations exploited a loophole.

Through a process of building, assembling or manufacturing their products in Mexico/Canada those foreign corporations can skirt U.S. trade tariffs and direct U.S. trade agreements. The finished foreign products entered the U.S. under NAFTA rules. This exploitative approach, a backdoor to the U.S. market, was the primary reason for massive foreign investment in Canada/Mexico; it was also the primary reason why candidate Donald Trump, now President Donald Trump, wanted to shut down that loophole and renegotiate NAFTA.

Why ship directly to the U.S., or manufacturer inside the U.S., when you could just assemble in Mexico and Canada and use NAFTA to bring your products to the ultimate goal, the massive U.S. market?

All nuanced trade-sector issues put aside, the larger issue is always how third-party nations will seek to gain access to the U.S. market through Canada and Mexico. [It is the NAFTA exploitation loophole which has severely damaged the U.S. manufacturing base.] President Trump, Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S.T.R. Lighthizer well understand this structural problem. ONLY Trump, Ross, Mnuchin and Lighthizer were willing to confront this problem. If Trump had lost the election, Clinton would have joined the multinationals and U.S. workers would have suffered greatly.

The issue of Canada/Mexico making trade agreements with other nations (especially China), while brokering their NAFTA position with the U.S. as a strategic part of those agreements, is a serious issue that could not adequately be resolved while U.S. remains connected to NAFTA. With the tax reform benefits, American workers are realizing they are getting more money in their paychecks; and as the U.S. economy continues to gain momentum, that’s the backdrop timing for President Trump/Sec Ross making the announcement today.

The Automobile Sector is one of the biggest points of contention within varying trade negotiations. In the NAFTA discussion the auto-sector, via rules of origin, runs at the heart of NAFTA’s fatal flaw. The fatal flaw = use of Asian, mostly Chinese, auto components within auto manufacturing. Mexico and Canada arguing to allow more Chinese auto parts in North American manufacturing; and President Trump demanding more North American parts for North American auto manufacturing.

The auto-sector is representative of much of the manufacturing exploitation by multinational corporations beyond vehicle production. China has supported the exploitation because they produce the components for multiple sectors (furniture, appliances etc).

The auto-sector is much more than just complete assembled vehicles. In many ways the core trade issues of part origination, manufacturing and assembly of multiple durable goods sectors are represented within the auto industry process.

Current trade negotiations with the EU, China and NAFTA reached a loggerhead status around these core issues. Multinational ‘Wall Street’ corporations unwilling to lose their prior multi-billion investments and take a new ‘America-First’ approach. POTUS Trump is rightly angered by many of them because he specifically offset any investment losses with a new U.S. corporate tax structure.

All of that said, the issues with the auto-sector have now rippled out into other trade sectors with discussions coming to a standstill until the auto issues are resolved. Enter President Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross with the plan.

Knowing all of the outlier, generally lesser, trade sectors are being impacted over the Chinese auto component issue, President Trump cuts the Gordian Knot and tells Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to consider a Section 232 review of auto industry as it pertains to imports.

Additionally, amid ongoing trade stalemates with NAFTA and the EU, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has announced the U.S. Commerce Department will no longer provide Steel and Aluminum tariff exemptions for the European Union, Canada or Mexico. During a telephone briefing with reporters today Secretary Ross announced at midnight tonight the 25% steel, and 10% aluminum, tariffs on imported goods will begin.

Australia, Brazil and South Korea (KORUS) have completed trade agreements with the U.S. and will remain exempt from any countervailing steel and aluminum duty. However, Canada and Mexico (NAFTA), as well as the EU, have been unwilling to reach reciprocal and balanced trade agreements with the U.S. and will now be subject to the tariff.

White House:

“The United States was unable to reach satisfactory arrangements, however, with Canada, Mexico, or the European Union, after repeatedly delaying tariffs to allow more time for discussions.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce representing Wall Street multinational interests are going bananas. DC politicians, and the multinational media, who are fully purchased by the U.S. CoC lobbyists are attacking the Trump administration….. all predictable.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea Vice-Chair Kim Yong-chol have concluded two days of discussions and meetings surrounding an agreement for the DPRK to eliminate all nuclear weapons and retreat from their nuclear ambitions.

Secretary Pompeo and Vice-Chairman Kim Yong-chol continue working toward a possible meeting between President Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12th.   After their meetings Secretary Pompeo held a press conference:

President Trump spoke briefly about the ongoing negotiations:

Amid ongoing trade stalemates with NAFTA and the EU, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has announced the U.S. Commerce Department will no longer provide exemptions for the European Union, Canada or Mexico.

As anticipated, during a telephone briefing with reporters Secretary Ross announced at midnight tonight the 25% steel, and 10% aluminum, tariffs on imported goods will begin.

Via Reuters: U.S Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told reporters on a telephone briefing that a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico would go into effect at midnight (0400 GMT on Friday).

“We look forward to continued negotiations, both with Canada and Mexico on the one hand, and with the European Commission on the other hand, because there are other issues that we also need to get resolved,” he said.

Ross offered little detail about what the EU, Canada and Mexico could do to have the tariffs lifted. (link)

The imposition of the import tariffs will likely break the impasse on current trade negotiations with multiple countries as they will now move to try and get their products exempted.

Australia, Brazil and South Korea (KORUS) have completed trade agreements with the U.S. and will remain exempt from any countervailing steel and aluminum duty.  Japan is close to signing a similar trade agreement.  However, Canada and Mexico (NAFTA), as well as the EU, have been unwilling to reach reciprocal and balanced trade agreements with the U.S. and will now be subject to the tariff.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce representing Wall Street multinational interests will likely go bananas.  Those DC politicians who are fully purchased by the U.S. CoC lobbyists will likely attack the administration….. all predictable.

(Via NBC) […] The European Commission fired back at the White House’s trade decision with a lawsuit, saying the E.U. “stands now ready to react to the U.S. trade restrictions on steel and aluminum in a swift, firm, proportionate and fully WTO-compatible manner. The E.U. will launch legal proceedings against the U.S. in the WTO on 1 June. The level of tariffs to be applied will reflect the damage caused by the new U.S. trade restrictions on E.U. products.”

Mexico’s Ministry of Economy released a statement saying “Mexico deeply regrets and rejects the decision of the United States to impose these tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Mexico as of June 1, under the criterion of national security. Mexico will impose equivalent measures to various products in the face of U.S. protectionist measures.”

[…]  “These tariffs are totally unacceptable,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a press conference Thursday afternoon. “Over the past 150 years, Canada has been the most steadfast ally. The idea that Canada could be considered a national security threat to the United States is inconceivable.”

Starting July 1, Canada will levy “dollar-for-dollar” tariffs on a selection of American-made goods, said Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, announcing that the government had drawn up two lists of products that would be subject to either 25 percent or 10 percent taxation, until the U.S. changed its position.  (read more)

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began the first meeting with North Korean emissary Kim Yong-chol today in New York.  Over the next two days the two leaders are anticipated to discuss terms of North Korean denuclearization and the possibility of a summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un.

Pompeo arriving like a boss

Kim Yong-chol, is one of the most influential North Koreans outside of the Kim Jong-un family.  Premier Kim Yong Chol has been closely involved in with talks with South Korea and is the most senior DPRK official to set foot in the US since 2000.

Over the next two days Secretary Pompeo and Premier Kim Yong-chol are anticipated to discuss the granular details of North Korea giving up all nuclear weapons.  There is a great deal of responsibility on the shoulders of Pompeo to ensure clarity of expectations in advance of any further diplomatic meetings.

North Korean’s leader’s right hand man, arrived at a New York apartment near the UN headquarters for a steak dinner meeting shortly after Secretary Pompeo arrived: VIDEO:

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The Wall Street Journal is publishing a report the European Union is likely to lose their exemption on Friday June 1st, from the U.S. Steel (25%) and Aluminum (10%) tariffs. Despite their article outline almost everything is still speculation at this point; however, our own review of the trade position indicates the administration is very prepared to begin delivering the metal tariffs on all nations, including NAFTA partners, without reservation.

President Trump positioning the auto-industry 232 review, May 23rd, was one of the key ‘leverage signals‘ something was about to change.

Despite massively one-sided EU imposed tariffs against U.S. products, the EU is demanding to be permanently exempted from any U.S. reciprocal tariff measures or they will block the import of U.S. products. The hypocrisy is typically European.

Adding fuel to the speculation the tariff exemptions will be allowed to expire Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stated earlier today, at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) summit – a multinational trade conference, that any/all trade discussions are entirely possible regardless of whether the U.S. begins the tariff against steel and aluminum imports.

WSJ – […]  Mr. Trump has threatened to punish EU car exports if the bloc retaliates, and Mr. Ross is pursuing a study of car and auto-part imports similar to the one he completed on steel and aluminum.

Officials in some EU member states are already angry at Washington over Mr. Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Still, others, including some German officials, want to seek a solution that prevents economic damage.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday the EU shouldn’t respond to pressure with weakness.

“The day before an important decision I want to repeat this: Unilateral responses and threats of trade war resolve none of the serious imbalances in global trade,” Mr. Macron said at the gathering with Mr. Ross. “A trade war is always a war lost by everyone.”

“Independently of this decision we must do everything to protect our interests and act with self-confidence and yet preserve free trade as much as possible,” said Peter Altmaier, Germany’s minister of economic affairs, following a meeting with Mr. Ross.

Mr. Ross said in Paris that “every country’s primary obligation is to protect its own citizens and their livelihoods.”  (read more)

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Expanded discussion segment:

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Canada is vowing to retaliate against the U.S. if President Trump subjects NAFTA partners to the same tariffs as other trade nations and eliminates the NAFTA loophole. {Go Deep}

The NAFTA Loophole allows Canada and Mexico to broker independent trade deals with Asian and European companies; then use their Mexican and Canadian access to the U.S. market as a backdoor around U.S. Tariffs.

This loophole has been exceptionally rewarding for both Canada and Mexico and for more than a decade they have structured their economies around loophole retention. U.S. corporations, seeing advantages from cheap Asian parts in Mexico and Canada, have moved some manufacturing there to take advantage.  In an effort to reset the trade imbalance created by the loophole President Trump is threatening to close it.

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada will “respond appropriately” to any U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday, less than two days before the punitive measures are due to kick in.

“The government is absolutely prepared to – and will defend – Canadian industries and Canadian jobs. We will respond appropriately,” Freeland told reporters when asked about possible U.S. action.

Canadian government officials have said they are prepared to impose retaliatory tariffs should the Trump administration make a move but have not revealed what they have in mind.

Trump says the steel and aluminum tariffs would be imposed for security reasons, which Freeland said was “frankly absurd”. Canada has repeatedly rejected any suggestion it could be a threat to the United States.

Freeland spoke after returning from Washington, where she met U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to discuss NAFTA. The negotiation “will take as long as it takes to get a good deal”, she said. (read more)

Foreign Minister Freeland will not allow Canada’s economic needs to be ignored: