The United States has now embarked on two wars at the same time: a trade war with China and Europe, and a real war with Iran. The supposedly rules-based global trading system did at times appear to have turned into a mechanism for transferring wealth and jobs from American workers to other countries. It would have been far better to fight Iran first, get that wrapped up, and then launch the trade war. Or else contain Iran until the global trading system had been rebalanced and America’s main allies were feeling less aggrieved. The real war makes the trade war harder to win, and vice versa.

Source: Washington Post March 25, 2026 15:51 UTC