Trump to UK: Stop taxing our big beautiful tech corps or face tariff tsunami

Donald Trump has threatened to whack the UK with a "big tariff" if it doesn't scrap its tax on large US tech firms, reviving a long-running spat over who gets to skim the proceeds from Silicon Valley's global empire. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump took aim at the UK's Digital Services Tax in a lengthy, free-flowing …

[Anonymous Coward]

Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

We might as well take the hit, if it wasn't this Donny would hit us with tariffs for not taking lhd cars that don't meet regulations, or for not taking expensive US made pharmaceuticals, or for not eating enough burgers, or not believing in bigfoot or suggesting the colour cyan is more blue than green, or not downloading the back epidodes of The Apprentice USA enough or something else.

At least we know we'll be in good company with the Heard and McDonald Islands he's put his big beautiful tariffs on. The penguins seem to be managing ok.

[abend0c4]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

He's apparently also considering withdrawing US recognition of European overseas territories (e.g. Falklands) in protest over the lack of support for his Iran misadventure. Not quite sure how that lines up with the current state of his Diego Garcia flip-flop. Oh, and booting Spain out of NATO.

Carney seems to have the correct analysis - rolling over will simply make things worse.

[Jedit]

"rolling over will simply make things worse"

It's an old lesson that Europe already knows too well: you cannot appease a tyrant.

[find users who cut cat tail]

Re: "rolling over will simply make things worse"

It's an old lesson that Europe _should_ already know too well.

[QET]

Re: Booting Spain out of NATO.

Didn't he last time people in the US made the mistake of voting for him, threaten to pull the US out of NATO?

I mean hypocrisy is expected from him, but most literal cartoon villains are at least consistent with what they want.

[Pascal Monett]

Because there's a writer behind the cartoon.

Trump flails about without anyone at the helm.

[DS999]

Re: Booting Spain out of NATO.

Fortunately during Biden's term the US passed a law that a president can not pull us out of NATO without congressional approval. Which Trump would never get.

So while he may whine about it a lot he's toothless as far as actually doing it. But it doesn't really matter since his actions like wanting to "have" Greenland and whining like a little baby when NATO won't help his illegal war with Iran has done plenty of damage to the NATO alliance. Putin got a great return on his investment in Krasnov.

Does Europe even need the US to be part of NATO anymore though? We're probably more trouble than we're worth for you guys, honestly. Back when the USSR was a big bad adversary who could credibly be seen as potentially rolling tanks and troops westward and triggering WW III Europe definitely needed the US in its corner.

But now that Russia is a failed state barely able to break even against Ukraine after grinding away for four years, the idea that they could threaten the whole of Europe is laughable. You guys don't need us to defend you any longer so if Trump tries to bluster about pulling out of NATO you should tell him "go ahead, we don't need you!" As a bonus you could put 100% of your military spending within Europe instead of sending a lot of it to the US, the economic benefits of which would offset any increase in military budgets you might have to make up for the absence of US troops based in your territory.

[ravenviz]

Re: Booting Spain out of NATO.

A worrying statistic is that Russia has ten times the nukes that NATO without the US has.

[Cloudy Day]

Re: Booting Spain out of NATO.

Europe has enough to wipe out all the major cities in Russia. It’s a zero sum game.

[TedF]

Re: Booting Spain out of NATO.

Nukes are high maintainance devices, what state are Russian warheads in after decades of corruption and neglect?

[Mozzie]

Re: what state are Russian warheads in after decades of corruption and neglect?

Russia probably doesn't care what state they're in. If 10% are launch capable and only half of those detonate correctly we're still in big trouble.

It's likely they'd go tactical nuke on the battlefield first anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

The US was never that keen on the UK keeping the Falklands. I guess they think it would be easier to get their hands on the theoretical oil reserves down their if they were dealing with Latin America not the UK.

[Wellyboot]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

The oil is real, but while Argentina is claiming everything belongs to them no company will risk the massive upfront cost of drilling in waters which are at least as nasty as the North sea.

[ravenviz]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

Re Falklands drilling, first oil is already targeted for the first half of 2028.

[Lazlo Woodbine]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

Unfortunately for the tango tyrant, NATO has no mechanism for removing members...

[RetiredCC]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

I completely hate Donald but if the US says we're not coming to your aid if you need help it's a defacto kick out. It's why positive action documents are generally more worthless than negative ones. I can't promise you what I will do in the future but I can with much more certainty tell you what I won't do. The difference between "I'll give you a million dollars in a year" vs "I won't rob you in a year" I can control the latter but not the first. NATO was built on positive action promises and unfortunately those are much easier to not fulfill.

[cookiecutter]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

the british will roll over any time the wealthy are threatened

[VoiceOfTruth]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

>> his Iran misadventure

His illegal war.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

His Boy's Own Misadventure.

[NoneSuch]

Re: Heard and McDonald Islands

Hawaii and Puerto Rico would like a word as well.

[Michael Strorm]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

Absolutely this. There's no point squandering vast amounts of time and political capital on vain attempts to mitigate and respond to the effects of capricious bullying like this, when they'll be rendered irrelevant by another abrupt obsession and change of target weeks down the line.

The best you can do is to not intentionally exacerbate the situation but to be prepared to respond firmly on your *own* terms and to take steps to cut your involvement with people like that, and countries who consider people like that fit to lead them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: cut your involvement with people like that

Trump and his family seem to have significant economic investments in some of the countries he is targeting. A country might address its response to the person and not to the office. Not sure how the Marines will act if asked to seize back an overseas golf course for the personal benefit of the C-in-C.

[Wellyboot]

Re: cut your involvement with people like that

By providing cover for Seabee Bulldozers!

Recovering several thousand tons of dirt and some little flags on sticks to the US.

[DS999]

Re: cut your involvement with people like that

Well reportedly the reason Trump TACOed from all his talk about ending Iran's civilization is that a number of generals made it known they would not follow orders to destroy civilian infrastructure like the power grid and water plants.

That tied Trump's hands so his only move left (other than ground troops, which might get him impeached by his own party) was to go along with Iran's closure of Hormuz. He's hoping that Iran feels the pain from lost oil revenue before Wall Street starts feeling the pain. He always TACOs when the market drops, because that's really the only thing left he can point to as a positive sign for the economy - and that's what the donor class cares about - and they are who ultimately control whether/when republican congressmen turn against him.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

That's a very eloquent way of saying "smile and nod" It's like dealing with a petulant child

[BartyFartsLast]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

Yup, give in to a demented bully and they just get worse.

Keep the tax, raise it every time he threatens a tariff, raise it again if he implements one.

[Steve Davies 3]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

This -> "Keep the tax, raise it every time he threatens a tariff, raise it again if he implements one."

is called 'giving him a dose of his own medicine'.

go for it people.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

I'm not sure it's specifically a tax on US companies but anyone offering online services from outside the UK. I'm not sure how many other countries are affected but I suppose a tariff could be raised on US companies in addition.

[cyberdemon]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

> We might as well take the hit

Indeed. It would give UK customers a good incentive to ditch US products such as Windows, Azure, Oracle, salesfarce etc

Although The Dimwit may threaten to withdraw access to Mastercard, Visa (and perhaps PayPal) to any country who refuses to kiss his ring, but probably he would chicken out of that like everything else

[RetiredCC]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

"Probably"? You don't earn a title like TACO on probably. "Speculation?"..."Certainty" Data (2/22/1988)

[spireite]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

We should revoke access to any land we own......

[Rich 11]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

The penguins seem to be managing ok.

The penguins are relaxed about all this because they have a better grasp of economics than the current occupant of the White House.

[Winkypop]

Re: Waaah tariffs, waaah taxes,

A bird in the hand and all that

[NewModelArmy]

Greed and Imperialism ?

I asked the google question ::

"are uk companies taxed by the US if they operate in the US"

Response :

"Yes, UK companies operating in the US are generally taxed by the US on income connected to that trade. Under the US/UK double tax treaty, a UK company is subject to 21% Federal corporate tax on profits if it has a "permanent establishment" (e.g., fixed place of business or dependent agent) in the US"

For some reason the US seems to think it can operate tax free anywhere in the world, but you have to pay tax to the US if you operate in their country (in general, outside of treaty etc.)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Greed and Imperialism ?

The US has been big enough and powerful enough to have its cake and eat it for a very long time. I think most countries have until now just accepted that generally the plusses outweighed the minuses of letting the USA do what it wants. Every other US president has manged to walk the line of taking what it wants without taking so much the little people start to push back. The Orange one has no such restraint, he doesn't care what the outcome is from what he wants/demands. It's very much childish emperialism, I'm the king and I'll take what I want (or I'll take what I'm told to take by my backers) even if I don't need it or want it that much.

[ravenviz]

Re: Greed and Imperialism ?

MAGA = Make America Greedy Again

[Anonymous Coward]

The Art of the Deal

He is such a master of international trade

[Michael Strorm]

Re: The Art of the Deal

The joke being that he's not even the competent "dealmaker" rich businessman he was able to spend his life cosplaying off the back of a massive inheritance from his father.

He's no richer than he'd have been if he'd stuck that inheritance in a tracker fund.

Real "dealmakers" are successful because they stick to the "deal".

[Pascal Monett]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

I disagree.

He's a good deal richer now that he has turned his tenure in the White House into a money-making scheme which, in my view, should be excuse enough to shoot him in the head without trial.

He is a discrace to the country he is supposed to represent, a disgrace to the very notion of Democracy, and simply a discraceful human being (if you can call that orange thing human).

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

I don't agree with the idea of offing him, that would just make a martyr of him and the MAGA cause.

Far better to have him arrested and made destitute but with free healthcare to keep him around looking like an overripe satsuma for as long as possible

[Neil Barnes]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

After due process, of course.

I wonder how well those US companies would look if no-one outside the US would trade with them?

[Sherrie Ludwig]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

After due process, of course.

Problem is, there is no due process in the USA anymore. The judiciary has been replaced by T**** stooges from traffic offenses court up to Supreme Court wherever a vacancy occurred, such that all the orange one's lawyers have to do is keep appealing until you hit the one who sees it their way, damn the law. And every suit takes so long to wend its way through the legal system that any sense of "swift justice" is a cruel joke.

[DoctorPaul]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

I refer you to the extra-judicial murder by USAsian forces of *alleged* drug-running boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.

[Michael Strorm]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

Perhaps that's more true in recent years. But he's done that via corruption and his populist ability to exploit the worst aspects of the American character (most likely because he *is* the epitome of that).

Not because he was ever a trustworthy or competent dealmaker.

Before that he was barely even breaking even *with* what he earned, or should have earned, as a reality TV star- again, not as a "dealmaker", but an idiot's stereotypical parody of one.

[Sam 15]

Re: He's no richer than he'd have been

(Trumps is) " a disgrace to the very notion of Democracy"

Can you be a disgrace to something you don't believe in?

[Phil O'Sophical]

Re: The Art of the Deal

There was a story in the papers today about a 2-year-old throwing a tantrum in the White House.

I was quite surprised to see that it wasn't Trump.

[Rich 11]

Re: The Art of the Deal

I didn't think Musk was still welcome there.

[Mishak]

He is such a master of international trade

Shouldn't that be "He is such a master of international tirade"?

[alain williams]

Ignore the orange wind bag

The tide is now flowing against the USA in this and other areas. His 'brilliant' strategies are harming the USA bigly.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Maybe

If the UK says they'll split the proceeds with Trump Corp, the problem goes away?

[Col_Panek]

Re: Maybe

That's the "art" of the "deal". Oil industry contributes to Trump, Trump goes all out against renewables and EVs. See how that works? One hand washes the other. You just gotta cross his palm with cash and bend the knee to kiss his ... ring.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Maybe

Let's hope that this ends like the Miller's Tale, then.

[Albert Coates]

Re: Maybe

And so it was later

When the miller told this tale

He said that her face at first just ghostly

Then turned a whiter shade of pale.

[Ropewash]

Re: Maybe

Perhaps tossing his.. ring.. into the fires of Mt.Doom would be more gainful.

[may_i]

Threatening tariffs eh?

Dumbo Donny can't comprehend that his own supreme court has already told him he does not have the authority to impose tariffs, only congress may set tariffs, not the president. Even his most brainwashed supporters are starting to understand that a tariff is paid by them, not by the countries the tariff is applied to.

But then again, this disgusting paedophile crook's days as president are numbered. So the correct answer to him from Starmer would be "Get lost, stupid.".

Quite why King Charles is going to visit a regime which is actively committing war crimes is beyond me. It legitimises Trump's actions, and that's the last thing which is needed right now.

[doublelayer]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

Not quite, so far only the first method, the most theoretically powerful one, was ruled illegal. He has a whole catalog of other ways he thinks he's allowed to set tariffs, the second of which is currently in place. That is why there are still tariffs on current trade with the U.S. even as they're trying to figure out what to do about the last round of illegal ones and why there are more court proceedings about attempt number 2, and if those are struck down then they'll move on to law number 3 that looks like it gives some power over this.

[VoiceOfTruth]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

>> a regime which is actively committing war crimes

Where are the sanctions? Where are the sequestrations of assets?

The truth is simple: Britain is a rump state.

[ravenviz]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

And what interest does Trump have in a rump state?

/rhetorical question

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

And what interest does Trump have in a rump state?

Presumably it's age.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

rump state?

Trump Steaks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Steaks

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

No, Britain is a state that follows international law, as do most other countries.

[VoiceOfTruth]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

That is a narrow reading of events.

So I repeat my question, with more context: Russia invaded Ukraine. Britain denounced it, imposed sanctions, and sequestrated assets.

The USA bombed Nigeria. No response from Britain.

The USA invaded Venezuela and kidnapped somebody. No response from Britain.

The USA bombed Iran. No response from Britain.

Law is only law if it is consistently applied. Otherwise it corruption. Britain is a rump state. It is in the pocket of a regime currently carrying out yet another illegal war.

[Rich 11]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

The US was invited by the Nigerian government to bomb some of their non-Christian citizens. You're right about the other two, though.

[ravenviz]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

I suspect that rump state is set to climb out of that pocket and realign with comparable states i.e. Europe.

This so-called "special relationship" is no longer.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

… apart from revoking Citizenship against UN Conventions, and current (odious) Home Secretary proposing (post Rwanda) to send Afghan’s back home into the Middle Ages, …. and a few more.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

"Quite why King Charles is going to visit a regime which is actively committing war crimes is beyond me. It legitimises Trump's actions, and that's the last thing which is needed right now."

Perhaps he'll stub his toe or something and be too lame to go.

[has been]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

Perhaps the king will knight the orange one with a sharp sword?

[bombastic bob]

Re: Threatening tariffs eh?

incorrect - the decision was based on a particular regulation that bypasses some specific pre-tariff analysis that a specific regulation requires. The issue should have been resolved by Congress, not the courts, as has been done for over 200 years. Mis-use of courts is currently a major problem, from excessive leniancy for career criminals and stalling/obstruction tactics to judges literally "legislating from the bench" and assuming too much authority [specifically federal court district judges]. A portion of the tariffs need to be re-evaluated and enacted under a different regulation as a result, making his job more difficult.

[Dan 55]

"Don't tax Big Tech or I'll tax Americans"

Go ahead, it's working out tremendously bigly for you so far.

[elsergiovolador]

Krasnov

Krasnov is making Putin wet.

[Anonymous Coward]

The deal : supply and demand

Here in the UK, we don't have much that the US wants apart from the UK as marketplace and the various military bases dotted around.

Surely it's only a matter of time before someone decides to push back against tarrif application with something that they really *do* want from the UK, e.g. the data/BMEWS from RAF Fylingdales, the take from RAF Menwith or other airbases.

Yes, that'd mean things were less geopolitically stable, but you could argue that that is already the case thanks to current US actions...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The deal : supply and demand

Rolls-Royce (as in Aerospace and power generation), Airbus, JLR/BMW, Big Pharma, Scotland may all disagree with that.

[Winkypop]

If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

Stress him out as much as possible. Show no quarter.

[Col_Panek]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

He's near the edge now so every push helps toward Article 25. Next time he reaches for the nuke button ...

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

Which happened last week apparently.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

I would not be surprised in the least.

[Rich 11]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

Help the cholestorol do its job.

[BebopWeBop]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

So, for once we might consider McDonalds to be our friend?

[Rich 11]

Re: If it’s stressing the orange idiot out, great.

It's a strange world we live in.

[BBRush]

Honestly, fuckit

Tax on sales generated in the UK by US companies and tell the Orange Man-baby to do one. There's only really one way to deal with a bully and this is bullying.

[Colin Bull 1]

Re: Honestly, fuckit

I have have though the digital tax was stupid. It is only there because most goverments are 30 years behind the times. All foreign companies should be taxed as highly as UK companies and using fake expenses to reduce profits should be taxed double. ( I wonder what Starbucks is paying in corporation tax nowadays?)

The big benefit of Brexit could (should) have been the reduction of issues by corrupt EU commisioners that allowed Apple and Amazon to ride roughshod on UK taxes. We have got enough corruption of our own without another complete layer. Why did Mandelson get a job at the EU when he was too bent for the UK?

[doublelayer]

Re: Honestly, fuckit

The UK already taxes that. This is a special tax for tech companies above existing ones for any international company operating in the UK. It mostly exists because those large tech companies have a lot of accountants and lawyers specializing in finding every way to legally not pay tax, and possibly some illegal ones but it has not been proven. They have an easier time of that because many of their products are intangible, which makes it easier to define value in ways that mean they're not taxable in the UK.

I still think this tax is a blunt tool which doesn't really fix the problem. The inclusion criteria are too arbitrary and basically just names a couple large companies as the only ones covered, making it quite easy to slip out of this tax for everyone else. It seems that the better approach, identifying the loopholes that are successfully used to avoid taxes but shouldn't be and then removing them, is too much work for politicians. The blanket tax also has international trade problems since it is specifically targeting specific companies from one country, which when others do it is considered a violation of trade treaties. With the US, that's not a major problem as they have already violated every trade treaty in existence so can't hope to get remedies in the WTO when they've broken the rules far more actively and substantially.

[DJO]

Re: Honestly, fuckit

...It seems that the better approach, identifying the loopholes that are successfully used to avoid taxes but shouldn't be and then removing them, is too much work for politicians...

Absolutely but it would be civil servants who have to work out how to close the loopholes but that'll never fly because once you start closing loopholes it starts to affect the political donor class. Also it would require primary legislation to enforce it and for the same reason good luck in getting that through both houses undiluted.

What's worse is that some of the "loopholes" have legitimate purpose but are being abused so removing them would hurt some people entitled to the relief. Perhaps tightening up the regulations where there is any possibility of abuse but that tends to lead to a really tricky game of whack-a-mole. Unfortunately there's no easy solution, it'd be nice if there was. I suppose one way would be to slap so much extra duties on them it'd would be easier and cheaper for the foreign companies just to pay the same taxes that local companies would pay in each region of operation.

[jdiebdhidbsusbvwbsidnsoskebid]

Re: Honestly, fuckit

While I agree with your headline conclusion, I disagree that this is bullying. It's just grandstanding and showing off. Trump may well put tariffs up, but as others have pointed out here, that'll just backfire. It's more like a bully who threatens to punch you in the face, then as he walks over to do it, trips over his own shoelaces that he tied together because he is incompetent and smashes face first into the dirt.

It would be hilarious if it weren't the case that he's now sat in the middle of the road with a bloody nose and throwing a tantrum by refusing to move. All the traffic is building up parping their horns for him to bugger off. When you get to the pub later you find that the beer lorry got caught in the traffic and couldn't make it's delivery. But because of the strange way economic forces work, this means that while the pub still has beer, the price has strangely gone up. All because some orange idiot couldn't tie his own shoe laces properly.

[WigglesVonSpiggles]

Peter T, M, A-H, Z, B, et al.

Saint Peter and The Antichrists have obviously been feeling neglected recently, what with the Iran war and dementia taking all of their pet’s time and attention. They must have given Trump a poke.

They paid good money to get him elected so that their unbridled corporate raping of the world and corruption of public discourse could accelerate unabated, unbridled by such indignities as regulations, socially responsible (or even just acceptable) behaviour, or taxes.

[Irongut]

Go fer it wee yin

We look forward to paying your tarrifs, oh wait I'm being told the tarrifs will be paid by dumb Americans.

We look forward to knowing that you paid even more than we usually fleece you for our whisky, shortbread and tartan.

[Anonymous Custard]

FTFY?

...the odd lapse in into coherence...

or is that too much to ask, even by random chance?

[Col_Panek]

Re: FTFY?

Broken clock effect; but I can't remember the last time he was right.

[ravenviz]

Re: FTFY?

When he’s not talking or posting.

[coredump]

Re: FTFY?

> Broken clock effect

In this case it seems like the clock isn't outright broken, rather it's badly and unpredictably malfunctioning.

I.e. sometimes runs backwards, sometimes dead stop, lurching and stumbling forward a bit before wildly spinning around randomly, etc. But never sticking with a behavior long enough to accidentally match up with reality, let alone twice a day.

[VoiceOfTruth]

This serves Britain right

It has kowtowed to Trump, and the USA in general, for decades. That is not strength. That is not a 'special relationship'. It is cowardice and weakness.

The USA knows this. Trump is bully enough to really turn the screws. But 'our' passive politicians will speak with the usual forked tongues about how this is 'wrong', then meekly fold and follow as usual.

The USA is not our friend. Trump merely exposes the truth of it.

Next up will be the invasion of Greenland or Canada, as stated by Trump. British 'politicians' will find a way to excuse this too.

[DJO]

Re: This serves Britain right

The USA has never been our friend, in the 1930's they drew up a plan to bankrupt the UK to accelerate the collapse of our empire so they could step into the power vacuum that would create, we were already heading that way after WW1 but if peace continued we could have just about survived as the global naval superpower - we still had the largest navy at the start of hostilities in WW2. But WW2 finished us off economically, interestingly the USA forgave the WW2 and Marshall plan loans to every recipient except the UK, we finished paying off the loans less than 20 years ago.

UK governments have always known this but they also know it's easier just to pretend and smile and nod and then continue with whatever they were doing anyway.

[Boolian]

Re: This serves Britain right

Except that the reason everyone else didn't pay back their 'loan' is because they didn't have one.

We all received a 'Grant' but the UK went to the USA for loans over and above the ERP

Those loans are what we were paying back, not the ERP/ Marshall Plan Grant.

*Notwithstanding the economic debt write-off made to Germany, Germany did in fact did pay back their Grant, though under no obligation to do so.

They managed that because the dosh was seriously invested, and the return enabled them to not only repay the Grant, but continues to give a return to this day.

Although this is grossly simplified and the ERP more complex, in essence this is what happened.

As ever, the UK gets pots of money anywhere from Empire, to Aid, to North Sea windfalls and spends it like its going out of fashion without any long term plan whatsoever.

In this instance it was primarily "We must continue to be the Worlds bank, and a military, Imperial superpower - spend everything on that!"

It is an old canard that the UK was the only country which had to pay back its 'Loan'

[Anonymous Coward]

Anything that riles Drumpf

is good by me.

The world will rejoice when he gets removed from the White House.

[Pascal Monett]

Re: Anything that riles Drumpf

Looking forward to a world-wide "Done With Trump" special holiday.

[Winkypop]

Re: Anything that riles Drumpf

Free beers at my house!

[b1k3rdude]

Dump fuck says what...

How is it his own party and his enablers are fine with trumplethinskin taxing his own citizens with these ass-backwards tarrifs.

Fuck maga murica and thier tarriffs.

[cookiecutter]

4 decades of uk govt bullshit

the US has ALWAYS fucked over the UK but for some reason the Uk government has a massive inferiority complex, coupled with civil servant cowardice - they just want to THROW money at US firms!

How many UK firms are allowed to be bought off? how many £thousands of millions handed to silicon valley?!

Maybe if the orange cry baby TACO monster doesnt like US firms paying taxes in the country that gives them seemingly unlimited ££££££ then maybe he'll be happier if the UK Govt does something for the first time in its life.....prioritise UK R&D and force Government purchasing into a UK first purchasing policy

kick microsoft google accenture wipro infosys et al off the cliffs of dover & instead of enriching american & indian billionaires, start spending some of that money here

[Cereberus]

Iran Shows The Way

Most, if not all, people will disagree with how Iran is run, and how they treat their people.

Most people will agree that attacking a country for reasons you can't state clearly, or keep changing every hour, is wrong.

Most people would agree that there should be a clear aim to attacking a sovereign nation.

Then there is the ORANGE ONE who DOESN'T know how to WRITE properly.

Congress just roll over so he can tickle their bellies although he usually kicks them where their nuts used to be.

Iran has shown him to be the dumpster fire of a deal maker that he really is. He makes a demand, sets a timescale, Iran ignores it and a new timeline magically appears.

When he made the inspired move of blockading Iran and kept it in place when they lifted theirs as part of the ceasefire, they just re-instated theirs. Trump likes to threaten people into capitulation but has no backbone to follow through to 'get his deal'. There is a reason he has gained the nickname TACO*.

*Trump Always Chickens Out

[mark l 2]

Didn't the supreme court say he wasn't allowed to go around adding additional tariffs on an entire countries, like he had been doing? So how does he think he can increase the tariff on the UK without putting it up for every country, now we know that he can't so its just an empty threat.

[elsergiovolador]

He has memory of a turd

[nobody who matters]

Hey, that's a bit unfair on turds.

[Anonymous Coward]

Mr Hanky is not impressed.

[Sudosu]

The initial tariffs were applied under the incorrect law for the purpose, they should have been applied under another law, which I think they immediately did after the ruling. Though they could still be on the hook for reimbursements of funds collected under the incorrect law they used initially.

IIRC

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

World to Trump: "Stop raping our children and our populations for your profits and we'll THINK about it."

[Tron]

The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

The one industry that would take a hit is Scottish whisky. Large taxiffs may force them to sell it to the natives instead at discounted prices.

Hmmm...

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

They're probably selling to Canada now that Kentucky whiskey has suddenly become unpopular.

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

Re: The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

Don't kid yourself. Someone who didn't like scotch before isn't magically going to acquire a taste for peat just because Kentucky corn whiskey is off the shelves here. Rather, we've pivoted to a lot of internal suppliers: "Buy Canadian" is the mantra nowadays, which also pisses off Drumpf and his "negotiators" that we'd take the same "Buy Canadian" approach that they have with "Buy American" for federal and provincial/state contracts.

In this case, the US loses a lot more than we do, because they always did give us short shrift on contracts and work in the US for our businesses; like Trump, most Americans think a "good deal" is one where they make all the money and everyone else gets screwed.

[SamanthaFA]

Re: The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

"...magically going to acquire a taste for peat ..."

Dear Groo - please don't think all Scotch whiskys are peaty, that's mainly the Islay ones...I personally prefer Speyside and Highland.

If you like whisky at all, I can guarantee that there are enough different Scottish ones for you to fnd one to love ;)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

… or English, Welsh… and Northern Irish. Despite best efforts to co-opt Whisky (aka Whiskey) as Scottish/British …

Bushmills is the world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery, operating in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with records dating back to 1608

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The UK has limited exposure to US taxiffs.

We've got minimum pricing on booze here so no one is getting a discount

[Doctor Syntax]

Has nobody worked out yet what this is all about. The Iran adventure isn't going well and he needs to distract the public.

[The Oncoming Scorn]

"The Iran adventure isn't going well and he needs to distract the public."

I know, release the Epstein files.....

[Anonymous Coward]

Trump-Epstein Files™

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting Errr Shooting!

As a distraction that was unexpected.... but not totally surprising as further justification for his ballroom.

Icon - Checking the other ear for blood.

[Sherrie Ludwig]

The Iran adventure isn't going well and he needs to distract the public.

The US troops have called "Operation Epic Fury" Operation Epstein Fury from the get-go, now they are calling it Operation Epic Failure.

The Correspondents' Dinner gunman was so obviously a stage-managed false flag from the White House it sounds like South Park had written it.

I wonder what new stupid shiny thing Steven Miller will cook up to distract next.

I am so, so tired of living in Bedlam, if I didn't have unmovable responsibilities (90+ year-old relative in care) I would be a refugee, and I'm no spring chicken. Spare a thought, or prayer, according to your beliefs, for those of us who opposed this from the beginning.

[scottro]

As a US citizen, though I suppose it goes for everyone else, I am so sick of seeing headlines that could start with Trump shows he's a complete moron again with...

The Republcan senators who support him are just as guilty. Especially the doctor who voted to put Kennedy in place. I find it amusing that some guy wanted to run a scam and AI told him aim at MAGA they're the dumbest. Too lazy to look for the link right now, but he made a fake profile, saying abortion is murder, deport all immigrants, and other things that only a MAG-tard would like, and made quite a bit of money from them.

Why don't they just be honest and say they don't care about murder, but abortion gives them a chance to bully women, which makes them salivate. Republicans in the US have really become completely despicable.

[VoiceOfTruth]

>> The Republcan senators who support him are just as guilty.

From across the pond, I see that Trump has a lot of support. It is not just Trump and his cohorts.

A lot of Americans really don't seem to care how their country is viewed. I find that regrettable and also scary.

[Anonymous Coward]

I saw his approval ratings has dived to 30-36% depending on the question.

I’m gob-smacked it’s not 3-6% - so much so I independently checked the numbers.

Not long back from USA - most seem egregious upset at $4/(US) Gallon for Gas and strangely passive about this. No fuel protests etc… <shrug>

“ A lot of Americans really don't seem to care how their country is viewed. I find that regrettable and also scary.”

You just have to look at the ‘USA-USA-USA’ monkey chanting at Hegseth or Trump as speech appropriate to see the nutters in the room. The scary bit is they are actively removing people in the military pushing back on this, and promising pardons galore.

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

There is a whole industry of such AI spam farms running on Crackbook to harvest coin from MAGA fools...

[Flocke Kroes]

Scamming MAGAs

Here is a link to an article on fake MAGA profiles. One of the guys cashing in tried to be an equal opportunities grifter: "Democrats know that it’s AI slop, so they don’t engage as much. The MAGA crowd is made up of dumb people—like, super dumb people. And they fall for it."

[Anonymous Coward]

Time to take back independence

Is it time to take back the USAs independence? They can’t seem to find and elect a sane president.

More countries will start to stand up to the orange one.

Surely there’s an island somewhere he can just play golf and leave the sane people to run government.

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Re: Time to take back independence

Alcatraz?

Postumus: Well, what do you want? A tour 'round the island? That would take us precisely ten minutes, as you once prophesied it would take me.

[Bebu sa Ware]

Surely there’s an island somewhere

"Surely there’s an island somewhere he can just play golf and leave the sane people to run government."

What have the penguins ever done to you ?

[IGotOut]

That reminds me...

It's Fredagstaco.

[Rol]

Sad, mad and bad!

I'm interested to find out how much it would cost to get on Trumps preferential mailing list? Clearly getting prewarned of his next ranting tirade would enable me to enricher myself on the stock market as it gets jerked around by the bigliest jerker on the planet.

I'm sure you've all worked it out by now. All his pronouncements are geared to shaking up the markets, they have no other purpose than to allow him and those in his circle to make a killing on the markets.

So, no. I'm not the least bothered about a thing he says, coz he's just a mouthpiece for the money men.

I'm looking forward to when he retires from whatever he thinks they let him do for a living, and finds not one of his sycophants, or even those he enrichened along the way bothers to return his calls. A sad lonely man recalling the glory days to his nurse, while they piss in his soup of the day. Can but dream.....

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

Re: Sad, mad and bad!

email? Not bloody likely: the man is too illiterate to do newsletters. Not to mention that email requires planning something in advance not Look a Squirrel! constantly being distracted.

[Anonymous Coward]

changing wind

Oh Trump talking to about tariffs. Yea the winds will change and he won't be doing it. More bluster, when he has plenty of other things he could be doing.

[MachDiamond]

Nothing

Nothing is going to get between the UK government and a new tax they've come up with. It's folly to even try.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Nothing

Stand firm with (at least) Carney, Sanchez and Macron.

SCOTUS has already thrown Tariffs out anyway. So not much of a threat.

[Bebu sa Ware]

"a decent place to start."

Certainly not Washington nor the lower 48 I would think. Obscene is likely the word you're looking for.

[Anonymous Coward]

Trumpenfurter is a silly sausage

See title

[Anonymous Coward]

How many of the Russian nukes are aimed at USA. Try subtracting that.

Selective use of stats.

I’d imagine- even today - there are no UK or French nukes with any targeting choices at all aimed at USA.

[HenryCrun]

If no tax then what?

How about some serios fines for American e-commerce sites shifting really poor products that are any of; unsafe, copyright theft, fake, not suitable for UK market, etc.?

[Anonymous Coward]

Did King Charles get any gadgets from Q to take with him?

Just as Donny bites into his third cheeseburger at the State Dinner, the King activates the secret Donny-Be-Gone spray dispenser…

[spireite]

Re: Did King Charles get any gadgets from Q to take with him?

NOm, but he smuggled Jonny English in