Trump temporarily drops tariffs to 10% for most countries

Market Reaction & Suspected Manipulation

• Commenters note huge intraday moves (many stocks +10–15%, options multiples) and argue anyone with advance knowledge could have made “zero-risk” profits.
• Widespread suspicion that insiders, political allies, or hedge funds were tipped off; several point to the “great time to buy” social post hours before the pause.
• Some think regulators could, in theory, unwind suspicious trades, but many doubt the SEC/DOJ will act in the current political environment.

Legality, Immunity & Conflicts of Interest

• Debate over whether public posts encouraging people to “buy” ahead of policy moves constitute market manipulation.
• Discussion of presidential immunity, “official acts,” and how recent court rulings and gutted enforcement (SEC, DOJ Public Integrity) make accountability unlikely.
• Historical contrast with earlier presidents placing assets in blind trusts and avoiding even small conflicts, versus today’s open entanglement with markets, crypto, and a public company.

Policy Whiplash & Business Planning

• Many emphasize that a 90‑day pause doesn’t fix the core problem: extreme volatility and unpredictability in trade policy.
• Businesses are seen as unable to plan factories, supply chains, or hiring when tariff levels can change within days; several expect postponed investment and layoffs.
• Personal investors oscillate between “buy the dip” opportunism and moving to cash or foreign assets to ride out the chaos.

Economic & Geopolitical Risks

• Commenters worry about lasting damage to U.S. credibility: allies questioning America as a dependable partner and reserve-currency issuer.
• Concerns that massive China tariffs (125%) remain, pushing supply chains into opaque transshipping and possibly tightening China–EU ties.
• Bond market turmoil and elevated yields are viewed as the real constraint that forced the partial retreat.

Trump’s Strategy: 4D Chess or Chaos

• One camp frames this as “Art of the Deal”: set extreme tariffs, then retreat to 10% to force negotiations and isolate China.
• Others see pure incompetence, ego, or a wealth-transfer grift, arguing the backtrack shows no coherent plan and deeply undermines trust in U.S. policy.