Trump threatens tariffs on Thailand, Cambodia over ongoing fighting

US President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to impose new trade tariffs on Thailand and Cambodia if hostilities between the two countries do not stop.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on December 13, per Caliber.Az.

“And I told them: If you have the war, not only am I going to break the trade deal we have, but I’m going to put tariffs on your country.’” He added, “Nobody can do that but me.” 

The US president stressed that the threat of tariffs is a key foreign policy tool for his administration. He also expressed concern that the US Supreme Court could rule some of the tariffs he has imposed to be unlawful. However, Trump said that even in that scenario, he would find legal grounds to continue pursuing his tariff policy. The Supreme Court is currently considering the matter.

On December 13, the governments of Thailand and Cambodia said that fighting continued along their shared border.

Trump has pushed the government to make direct interventions in what it sees as critical segments of the economy, taking stakes in semiconductor and critical minerals companies. Asked if he is considering taking a stake in any defence companies, the president said “yes.”

“We should take stakes in companies when people need something. I think we should take stakes in companies. Now, some people would say that doesn’t sound very American. Actually, I think it is very American,” Trump said.

By Khagan Isayev