this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2025
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The United States has placed Switzerland on a list of countries with "unfair trade practices".

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[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago

Trump is all about pretenses.

There are the "reasons" he's making those decisions, and then there are the "pretenses" he uses when the opportunity comes around to make them.

Swiss banks hold a lot of money from oligarchs and billionaires. Putin wants pressure put on them. But Trump has to find the "pretense" to do it so as to at least nominally not be seen as a russian asset. But what a coincidence, Lindt announces that they're going to supply Canada directly from Europe to avoid his tariffs. And BOOM. Pretense established.

[–] MapleEngineer@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can we get a digital badge that the citizens of any advanced liberal democracy that Magastan panels as "bad" can proudly display on their socials?

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Don't sully the "-stan" countries like that, they don't deserve that association.

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Doesn't "Stan" just mean land of (these people)?

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah, it does. But I think the intent of "Magastan" is to draw a comparison to "those countries". But this is stooping down to Trump's level imo

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[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 135 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Lmao what the actual fuck? Switzerland…? He’s going after the Swiss now…? I just… wow. What is happening.

Edit: it’s apparently about - and I shit you not - chocolate. And it’s their volume market brand. Not even the really good stuff.

[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 36 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Probably because Lindt said that they might supply Canada from Europe instead of the US.

Begun the chocolate wars have.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)
[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's getting harder and harder to laugh at shit like this. I mean, it's still funny, but it really is not.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I feel the exact same. It’s tragicomedic.

I laugh to hide the pain. The secret sixth stage of grief is gallows humor.

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[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I thought the US especially enjoyed their puke flavoured chocolate? They don't need European chocolate.

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[–] pntha@lemmy.world 44 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

they probably hold billions in frozen Russian assets

[–] Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 66 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Switzerland has a positive balance of trade in goods and therefore appears on this list.

Ah that's why...

We have good arguments. And we have been doing exactly what President Trump wants for a long time.

Maybe it's time to fucking stop pleasing the orange cunt, he doesn't care!

[–] Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago (4 children)

This focus on the balance of trade is sooo stupid. The US spends more than it produces so it has an aggregate deficit on the trade balance. To stop this, you need to force Americans to spend less (I.e. ignite a recession), or produce more.

Tariffs against selected countries that have a strong bilateral trade surplus with the US will not affect the US’ aggregate trade balance, since it doesn’t affect consumption by/ or production of the US economy. This is common knowledge from econ 101, and shouldn’t need to be explained to a president that supposedly has a degree in business.

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[–] dzso@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (3 children)

How many months is it going to take for the Magats to realize they fucked America over?

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Empirical evidence says at least 100.

[–] CMonster@discuss.online 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even if they self aware enough to see that, they will never admit it.

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[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

they'll long be dead and their grandchildren will still claim this as "the best time in American history".

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Lol.

As an American I would give my right nut to live there instead of here.

[–] Wanpieserino@lemm.ee 2 points 22 hours ago

As Belgian I do think Switzerland is one of the best countries on the entire planet. There's a reason why they have 30% immigrants, and it's not because German is a fun language to learn 😁

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

LOL... well the clowns were elected to the presidency... why are we surprised at the never ending circus?!

Making quality products that people actually want to buy is a dishonest and abusive practice, I'm glad someone finally spoke up.

[–] N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com 94 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Europe needs to see that unity is the way to go. A united Europe is needed to stand against the mad kings in Russia and the US.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 13 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Europe, the place where 27 separate sovereign nations have formed a Union, needs to realise how important it is to be united?

Is that what you're saying?

Well tbey are commenting this on an article about switzerland, which is not in the EU. Though it is in Schengen and the EEA.

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[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What? Swiss banks been mean to Putin?

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[–] filister@lemmy.world 55 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The US is on a way to piss off all of its trading partners and former allies.

[–] nicky7@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We're never going to recover. He's speed running the fall of a nation.

At least Nero had some musical talent on display while Rome burned. This guy can't even dance.

[–] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Drumpf had it wrong. It's not Zelenskyy risking WW3, it's himself.

[–] soularpanic@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 day ago

"Accuse the other side of what you, yourself, are doing." The Republicans adopted the Nazi playbook decades ago.

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He's either completely senile or doing Putin's bidding by destroying whatever is left of the US's international credibility.

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago

Por que no los dos?

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[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 27 points 1 day ago (1 children)
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[–] SabinStargem@lemmings.world 3 points 23 hours ago

If nothing else, at least Magats won't be able to hide their gold there anymore.

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 36 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He's doing the best Zapp Brannigan impression I've ever seen.

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 day ago

Well he really must hate those filthy neutrals.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The US is so fucked. People are not going to give the bully their lunch money. They’re going to team up against the bully.

[–] TylerBourbon@lemmy.world 3 points 23 hours ago

Which is good, and I say that as an American. The current leadership cannot be trusted. It's going to be a long time before we can be trusted again. If ever.

[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Switzerland might really be one of the few countries no one can ever take over. Even if no one else cared — they will — sending troops running up a mountain where everyone has rifle skills and hidden bunkers is definitely not a military strategy I ever heard of.

...no one can fully ever take over.

ftfy

Reason why the country is what it is, is because quite a few have tried an kinda stuck around.

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[–] commander@lemmings.world 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Fuck, I wish the government was this enthusiastic about unfair trade practices within its own country.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

Except it has nothing to do with unfair trade practices. It's all about breaking down the world order to make room for Russia.

[–] LMurch@thelemmy.club 3 points 1 day ago

Omg, we are absolute shit right now.

[–] CosmicCleric@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Does that mean we have to stop calling it swiss cheese and start calling it holes cheese, or holy cheese?

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[–] DreadPirateSnuggles@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] bagelberger@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

✅ Putting holes in things and calling it freedom

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