Festival of Inclusive Trade 2025
They now behave more like a weather vane—spinning with the political wind. A bold Friday announcement is followed by a quiet Sunday reversal. This weekend was no different: President Trump unveiled a 50% tariff on EU imports, only to delay it two days later after a “very nice call” with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
This isn’t a one-off. Back in April, we had “Liberation Day,” complete with sweeping “reciprocal tariffs”—reversed within days after markets wobbled and pressure mounted.
The result? Market whiplash, investor unease, and plenty of diplomatic side-eye. Someone’s profiting off the volatility—but it’s not the public.
Most people have seen through it by now. The performative drama may serve short-term politics, but it leaves no foundation for a credible, long-term trade strategy. The only thing we can reliably expect is more headlines—and more backpedalling.
And in news that I’m sure will bring universal relief: this will (probably) be my last update on these tariffs. But I’m shifting focus to something I believe does matter.
The global trade system stands at a crossroads. Mounting economic uncertainty, fractured alliances, and exclusionary policies have only deepened global inequality. That’s why the Festival of Inclusive Trade 2025 isn’t just here to celebrate inclusion—it’s here to question it, critique it, and help rebuild it.