Trump touts “biggest trade deal ever” - but who really wins?By T-Paine This week, Donald Trump announced what he called a “massive trade deal” with Japan: a 15% reciprocal tariff and $550 billion in promised investments. Headlines flew. Markets jumped. And yet again, the working class was nowhere in the fine print. The new tariffs, down from Trump’s earlier threats of 25%, were framed as a win for U.S. production. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Ishiba said his country would “examine the details,” while Trump crowed about keeping 90% of profits in America. But those profits aren’t landing in your paycheck—they’re headed for the same old Wall Street portfolios. Big business, big benefits Corporations with stakes in autos, rice, semiconductors, and heavy manufacturing have already seen their stock prices swell. Tokyo’s Nikkei jumped within hours of the deal announcement. Wall Street called it a “stabilizing agreement.” Translation: the investors are happy. The bosses are richer. The rest of us? Still treading water. Workers? Left out again. There’s no worker protections in this agreement. No wage standards. No new domestic manufacturing requirements. No caps on price gouging. The 15% tariff will hit consumer goods—and those costs will trickle down. The benefits won’t. Gig workers, warehouse staff, teachers, baristas, and independent contractors won’t see a dime from this “investment.” Instead, they’ll pay more for groceries, cars, and household goods. All while Trump’s cronies tout this as “America First.” The big fish always win Trump says this deal is “the largest ever.” But it smells more like a business summit between two capitalist machines. Japan and the U.S. are securing their billionaire class. The working class is supposed to celebrate while nothing improves on the ground. Once again, a Trump headline drowns out the truth. He cuts deals for corporate allies. He calls it freedom. But the only people cashing out are the ones already on top. Sources: |