By Janet Kira Lessin | Dragon at the End of Time
“I know what the hell I’m doing!”
That was Donald Trump’s recent boast aboard Air Force One on April 11, 2025, delivered with characteristic bravado. But beneath the bluster, beneath the branding, and the showman’s mask, something else is happening:
Trump has driven the wheel of a healthy economy headlong toward a cliff.
And this time, America’s parachute may not open.
The Trade Deficit Delusion
At the heart of Trump’s trade agenda is a gut instinct—not a plan, not a strategy—just a belief: if a country sells more to the U.S. than it buys, it’s “ripping us off.”
He equates trade deficits with budget deficits. He thinks tariffs mean other countries are paying us.
Every single one of these assumptions is wrong.
Take Madagascar, a poor island nation that exports vanilla to the U.S. and other countries. They don’t import expensive American goods because they can’t afford them. But that doesn’t mean they’re “ripping us off.” It means the trade is mutually beneficial. We get vanilla. They get income.
This is not exploitation. This is economics.
Tariffs Are Taxes — On Us
A grocery receipt showing everyday items totals $52.96, stamped boldly with “TARIFF.” This visual shows how Trump’s economic policies directly impact American families at checkout.
Trump claims he “took in hundreds of billions in tariffs from China.” But tariffs aren’t payments from foreign governments. They’re taxes paid by American companies, who then raise consumer prices.
Like excise taxes on alcohol or gasoline, tariffs hit the American people first and hardest. The result? Inflation, price hikes, and economic drag.
A Businessman in Myth Only
Trump played a billionaire businessman on The Apprentice for 14 seasons. And Americans, trained to associate wealth with intelligence, believed the illusion.
But reality? Four years after publishing The Art of the Deal, he filed for bankruptcy on one of his casinos—a business designed to print money.
Trump’s legacy includes six bankruptcies, failed universities, fraudulent charities, and unpaid contractors.
His economic strategy is not built on understanding. It’s built on ego.
From Editing Room to Oval Office
Producers of The Apprentice revealed that Trump often “fired” the wrong person on camera, forcing editors to recut footage to justify his impulsive decision. The same pattern played out in the White House.
When Trump makes a false claim, the government scrambles to reverse-engineer a policy that fits, not truth, not leadership, just damage control.
You can’t run a nation like a reality show.
But Trump is still trying.
Global Chaos, Local Consequences
Allies once trusted the United States. Now, Trump’s erratic actions have undermined those relationships.
He’s claimed Canadian water flows uphill into California, and that the EU was formed “to screw the U.S.” He speaks in incoherent fragments, while world leaders take notes—not out of admiration, but out of caution.
Even when Canada and Mexico flattered him during USMCA negotiations, he broke his deal with new unilateral tariffs.
His unpredictability isn’t a strategy. It’s a liability.
Markets Don’t Lie
U.S. bills fan across the foreground, while coins with sad, frustrated expressions sit in front of a red “TARIFFS” warning in the background. This symbolic image contrasts Trump’s economic misunderstandings with real-world reactions.
The financial world sees it. The bond market is flashing red, stock market volatility is up, and consumer confidence is collapsing.
This was before the full effects of his new tariffs rippled through Walmart, Target, and grocery stores.
The American people are starting to feel it in their wallets—and that can’t be edited out.
The Illusion Fades
Trump’s audience last week wasn’t the American public. It was Republican donors and loyalists. But even they are beginning to see the cracks.
This isn’t just poor leadership.
It’s not just economic ignorance.
It’s a performance—sold to a weary nation at the cost of its prosperity.
And the reality is catching up.
No, Donald Trump. You do not know what the hell you’re doing.
But the American people are waking up.
And this time, the script has changed.
📚 References:
- U.S. Treasury Tariff Impact Report (2024) – Confirms that importers, not foreign exporters, pay tariffs.
- Brookings Institute: “Trade Deficits and Budget Deficits Are Not the Same” – Clarifies Trump’s economic misconceptions.
- MSNBC Analysts: “The U.S. economy is the next business Trump will bankrupt” – Commentary on tariff impact and consumer confidence.
- New Yorker, “The Apprentice Presidency” – Insights from editors and producers on how Trump’s decisions were edited to appear intentional.
- GAO Report on NAFTA vs. USMCA Implementation – Notes instability created by unilateral tariff policy shifts under Trump.
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