The Dumbest Trade War Revisited

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-dumbest-trade-war-revisited-57c9fe81?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

Trump’s decision to escalate a tariff brawl with Canada makes no economic or political sense.

President Trump took exception last year when we called his tariffs against Canada and Mexico the dumbest trade war in history. It got dumber this weekend as Mr. Trump escalated with another round of border taxes on Canadian imports, a mere 10 weeks before midterm elections.

Mr. Trump issued his latest tariff threat against Canada last month under Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act. The law lets the President impose tariffs up to 50% on countries that discriminate against “commerce of the United States, directly or indirectly” in relation to foreign countries. No previous President has used this power.