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The Emperor’s New Trade Deal

On Tuesday Donald Trump went on CNBC to explain why the European Union is facing a tariff of "only" 15 percent. But what he said was simply delusional — and the delusion should be even more concerning than the tariffs. The Europeans, Trump asserted, had agreed to cough up $600 billion, which he described as a "gift," not a loan.

The Europeans, Trump asserted, had agreed to cough up $600 billion, which he described as a "gift," not a loan. And he emphasized that this is "$600 billion to invest in anything I want. I can do anything I want with it.

I can do anything I want with it. "So Trump apparently believes that the European Union has agreed to provide him with a personal $600 billion slush fund. In fact, as I pointed out after the "deal" was announced, the EU agreed to no such thing.

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