Event8 April 2026Statement

Jonah Goldberg (AEI), Los Angeles Times column: tariffs on allies are "forcing many countries to pursue trade agreements with China"

Column of Apr 8, 2026, reposted by AEI, where Goldberg is a senior fellow: 'Trump abrogated trade agreements with our allies to levy massive tariffs on nearly all of them, forcing many countries to pursue trade agreements with China.'

Date: 8 April 2026
Kind: Statement
Where: United States
Evidence: Statement: Something was said. Weighted lowest: words cost less than actions. How evidence is weighed
Who: American Enterprise Institute (AEI) (acted); Jonah Goldberg (acted)

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Sources

AEI (reprinted from the Los Angeles Times), “Trump Is Burning Every Bridge America Had Left” (external site), 8 April 2026. source record

Quotes

“Trump abrogated trade agreements with our allies to levy massive tariffs on nearly all of them, forcing many countries to pursue trade agreements with China.”

From AEI (reprinted from the Los Angeles Times): Trump Is Burning Every Bridge America Had Left

Tested hypotheses: a thought experiment

Suppose Washington foresaw and wanted this. Would this event look any different than under the rival readings? This is a deliberately contrarian test, explained here, not the author’s belief. Judgments, not measurements.

Non-discriminating: this event fits the plain self-interest reading and the foresight reading equally. It does not tell them apart. What this means

Reading	Fit	Why
I0a Accident Tested hypothesis (intent)	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
I0b Plain self-interest; Canada's response not considered Tested hypothesis (intent)	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
I1 Foreseen and welcomed, not the reason Tested hypothesis (intent)	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
I2 Foreseen and wanted (this level or higher) Tested hypothesis (intent)	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
I3 Worked-out plan with specific targets Tested hypothesis (intent)	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
R-annex Annexation Rival reading	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
R-frag Fragmentation Rival reading	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.
R-weaken Weaken-Canada rivals (annexation or fragmentation) Rival reading	Neutral weak	A columnist's claim that tariffs push allies toward China fits all readings equally; it is commentary, not evidence of US intent.