What happened
On Wednesday, U.S. President Trump declared what he called “Liberation Day”: a sweeping new economic order where every single import into the U.S. is hit with at least a 10% tariff, and countries labelled as “worst offenders” — like the European Union, China, and South Africa — face even higher penalties.
It’s being sold as strength. But here’s the truth:
this move is reckless, self-serving, misguided, and globally dangerous.
The way the U.S. chose which countries to target is absurd. They punished countries based purely on how much more they export to the U.S. than they import — as if trade is a scoreboard. There was no analysis of what those goods are, how they fit into global supply chains, or how vital they are to everyday life. It’s a stunt built on fictitious numbers, not reality — and it will hurt millions of people. Americans included.
What this means
This isn’t just about trade between powerful countries. It’s about how economic shocks ripple through the world and land hardest on the people with the fewest protections.
- Prices will rise — not just in the U.S., but in every country where supply chains are disrupted.
- Jobs will disappear — especially in countries where industries rely on exports, from manufacturing to farming.
- Everyday goods — like food, fuel, and medicine — will become harder to access and afford.
- And families, workers, and small producers in low-income regions will suffer the most, even though they had nothing to do with this decision.
This is economic warfare — and as usual, it won’t be the rich who pay the price.
What must happen
While world leaders trade threats and headlines, we’re missing the bigger picture:
Unilateral moves like this don’t just punish other governments — they punish the people.
We must act now to prevent this from becoming a full-blown global crisis. This means that our countries must come together and understand how to respond to ensure the most vulnerable aren’t left behind while planning for long-term system change. Nationalistic tendencies won’t solve this crisis.
Short-term action: protect people, fast
We need global coordination more than just retaliation.
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The United Nations and the World Trade Organization must call an emergency session to:
- Prevent further escalation
- Exempt essential goods like food and medicine from new tariffs
- Monitor and publish real-time impacts on food prices, job losses, and supply chains
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The IMF, World Bank, and UN agencies must work together to:
- Provide emergency funds to countries whose economies are at risk
- Offer temporary debt relief where needed
- Ensure trade disruptions don’t cut people off from life-saving essentials
Answering in kind to the U.S. is inevitable, but not enough. If we do nothing, the most fragile economies — and the most vulnerable people — will be hit first and worst.
Long-term reform: rewrite the rules
This crisis didn’t come out of nowhere. It came from a system that lets the most powerful countries bend the global economy to their will — while the rest are left to deal with the fallout.
It’s time to rethink that system.
- Trade rules must be reformed so that no country can unilaterally start an economic war.
- Global institutions must be made fairer, more democratic, and accountable to people — not just powerful governments.
- And every trade policy should be measured by one question: does it protect lives and livelihoods, or destroy them?
“Liberation Day” is not about freedom. It’s about control.
Let’s call it what it is: Liberation to Exploit Day.
And let’s make sure this moment sparks action — not just outrage.
What would a fair, sustainable, and just global economy look like to you? Join us to make it happen: https://www.atlasmovement.org/volunteer
