tequila4kapp said:
Big C said:
It would be a terrible move, politically, to put fat tariffs on Columbian imports: American's lost their s*** when the price of eggs and gas went up; imagine if it's their coffee and cocaine.
Trump understands that we have the strongest and most diverse economy in the world, and that means we will prevail in any economic disputes.
We are Columbia's largest trade partner; we actually have a trade surplus with them. They get refined petroleum from us.
Ask yourself this, who would take a bigger hit, the US with higher coffee prices or Columbia with higher gasoline prices? Easy answer. (it would actually be a double whammy for Columbia because they send us crude oil that we refine and send back. They would get a double tariff at the gas pump).
It works both ways.
It's not as "absolute" of a proposition as you make it.
The U.S. imports crude petroleum from Colombia which amounts to roughly $6 Billion.
Along with smaller amounts of refined petroleum products.
Coffee was next at $1.8 Billion.
Followed by cut flowers which amounted to $1.6 Billion.
We exported $5.3 Billion in refined petroleum products.
Followed by $1.0 Billion in corn and $766 million in Soybean meal.
The latter could be easily sourced from Brazil or Venezuela.
By the way, it's Colombia.
Not Columbia.
What does the US import from Colombia? Trump threatens tariffs