Trump’s Tariffs: “I Don’t Have a Strategy”

Come As You Are-Investors Face Uncertainty

By The Coastal Journal – May 12, 2025

“And I swear that I don’t have a gun… No, I don’t have a gun.”

That haunting refrain from Nirvana’s Come As You Are was never meant as a policy critique—but in 2025, it reads like an eerie metaphor for the White House’s trade strategy: part reassurance, part threat, all contradiction. The line invites trust, but leaves you uneasy. So does President Trump’s tariff policy.

What began as a chest-thumping protectionist crusade has spiraled into a mood-driven economic assault that’s roiling markets and shaking liquidity loose from every corner of the financial system—from working-class consumers to billionaire art collectors and Wall Street’s inner sanctums.

It started in early March, when tariffs on Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese imports were quietly expanded. But the real detonation came on April 1, when Trump imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese construction and tech goods. The NASDAQ—already showing signs of strain—plunged, falling from over 19,300 to 15,000 in under ten days. Then, without warning, the policy reversed. On April 9, the tariffs were “paused.” By May 11, they were officially cut to 30% as part of a so-called “90-day strategic recalibration.”

Markets rebounded—sharply—but the damage lingers. The Nasdaq remains about -8% below its February highs, and the underlying economy is flashing stress signals that go well beyond stock prices.

Because volatility isn’t strength.

It’s a warning.

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Behind the headlines, the economy is unraveling in slow motion.

In the real economy, construction companies have frozen projects mid-design. The MTA is pushing back timelines. Big commercial industrial construction companies are watching goods rise. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that these tariffs have raised the cost of an average home by $10,900 this year alone.

Material shortages are everywhere. Roughly 30% of U.S. building inputs come from China, and with tariffs this steep, the supply chain isn’t just strained—it’s weaponized. Nonresidential projects are now taking over 6 months longer to break ground than they did in 2019.

Simultaneously, consumers are tightening their belts. Recent earnings from Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Chipotle tell the story: even spending on everyday basics is collapsing. This isn’t anecdotal—it’s macroeconomic.

But the most revealing signal? It’s what the Federal Reserve is doing.

The Federal Reserve has quietly stepped in too.

Since the market lows in April, the Federal Reserve has injected over $10 billion into Wall Street through the discount window borrowing.

To read the full report on the Fed’ backstopping Wall Street, Billionaires aren’t selling stocks—they’re mortgaging their Picassos, the art loan market is booming, and the smart money smells trouble. Subscribe with the link below —because when the elite pledge their Van Gogh, it’s not normal. It’s the top.