I don't know the details of individual countries trade situations either, but in general countries were charging us tariffs and we did not charge them anything close to what we were being charged. For example, the EU can sell their cars in the US directly competing with US auto manufacturers. The high tariffs the EU puts on our cars prevents the US from competitively selling them in the EU market. The US auto market has suffered because of all the foreign competition, at home and abroad.

Trump hopes to end this unbalanced trade situation and rekindle the manufacturing sector in the US. Companies around the world can build plants to manufacture their products in the US and avoid tariffs altogether. Some companies are opting to do that already because with the tariffs Trump has imposed on their products, they would no longer be competitive in the US market.

So far, at least 50 countries are negotiating with Trump on the tariffs and working out mutually acceptable solutions. The only country that is problematic is China. We have close to a $400B trade deficit with China. They need the US to keep their economy going. They will make a deal in the end. Nearly everything in the US is made in China and that is just plain stupid. Its been like that for a long time. Our using them for manufacturing has put US manufacturing out of business. They can build it cheaper and sell it cheaper in the US because they use slave labor.

I think Trump's idea will work but there's going to be some pain until it kicks in. I think his idea is excellent and we need to see it through. To Trump, this is the ultimate art of the deal. He's doing it for the citizens in this country and future generations. We're so lucky to have his leadership.