The Heat is On

By Rosette Correa

In early June, President Trump doubled steel and aluminum tariffs, significantly affecting U.S. trade partners, especially Canada, Mexico, the EU, and even China. Canada, the top exporter to the U.S., is bracing for strong retaliatory measures while China responded to U.S. escalation of trade barriers by imposing further levies.

According to the World Bank and OECD, such escalating tariffs risk pushing global growth to the lowest levels since the 1960s with sharp hits to supply chains, disrupted exports, and rising costs for households and manufacturers. U.S. consumers, too, are feeling lighter in wallets: average tariff burdens equal nearly US $1,200 per household. This latest tariff maneuver threatens to unravel global confidence—stifling trade, stoking inflation, and sapping economic momentum.

On May 29, Elon Musk announced his departure from his role as a “special government employee” and head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era project meant to streamline bureaucracy. Musk oversaw major agency shakeups but failed to deliver lasting spending reductions. His exit marks more than a reshuffle—it removes a high-profile voice inside Trump’s inner circle. Analysts suggest Musk’s influence helped shield his major companies from harsher scrutiny. Now, weakened ties could open the door for policy backlash, competitive pressure, or diminished tech-sector appeals. The departure underscores strategic risks: Trump loses a billionaire policy ally just as economic tensions intensify—a backdrop primed for domestic unrest. There goes the campaign money.

While Trump and Musk’s heated relationship burns the headlines, Los Angeles has erupted in violent protests triggered by aggressive ICE raids. Over four nights, thousands clashed with law enforcement at Paramount, Compton, and downtown sites; fires were set on Waymo autonomous vehicles and over 300 were arrested. In a controversial move, Trump federalized the California National Guard and deployed roughly 4,000 troops plus 700 Marines without state approval. Federal justification cites assaults on ICE agents and anarchic scenes, yet critics decry it as a dangerous federal takeover and a cue for authoritarian drift. Legal battles are brewing, with court challenges imminent.

Assertive, uncompromising governance from the Trump White House, marked by hard tariffs against foreign partners, the sidelining of a high-profile technocrat, and the use of military force to quell dissent at home is a recipe for disaster. Economic pressure abroad (via tariffs) raises consumer prices domestically and heightens public unease. Musk’s departure symbolically lowers elite consensus around Trump’s economic agenda and tech-savvy image, which affects his credibility among his peers. Militarized response to civil unrest reflects a governing philosophy that privileges show-of-force solutions over dialogue.

These separate developments feed and reinforce each other. Hardline trade policy targets global partners and might fuel nationalist resentment—opening the way for internal repression. Musk’s symbolic exit suggests disillusionment among elite backers, weakening political ties. The LA riots become both a symptom and a test: how much fringe-right governance can intersect with everyday democracy before fissures deepen?

Trump’s macroeconomic aggressions abroad, coupled with high-profile departures and militarized domestic responses, create a combustible political climate. Domestic unrest driven by immigration crackdowns reflects economic anxiety amplified by tariffs and a reduced capacity for constructive policymaking. If these trends continue unchecked, the U.S. risks splintering—economically, politically, and socially—entering a more unstable, polarized era.