Letters to the Editor: Readers reel as Trump’s tariffs devour major stock indexes, retirement accounts

To the editor: Every economist and follower of economic history has been warning that tariffs are bad for our country, yet the madman with the red tie insists on using them (“Markets plunge after Trump tariffs heighten chance of a broader trade war,” April 3). I am not an expert on international trade, but I do have a stock portfolio that has sunk to a new low. At least some of the Republican voters, and even some of the MAGA cult, must also have some stocks. Can’t they see that the U.S. economy and their stock portfolios are more important than imprisoning Latin Americans?

Martin A. Brower, Corona del Mar

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To the editor: I hope everyone remembers President Trump’s first term. It seemed like every day he was taking credit for the stock market. In his second term, he definitely gets credit for the stock market dropping. I’m waiting to hear him brag about that.

Doug Frank, Simi Valley

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To the editor: Instead of actually determining who had unfair trade practices, a procedure that would have required extensive research into each individual country’s trade policies, our government chose to simply create tariff percentages by comparing imports to exports. That is what happens when you fire all the statisticians.

Larry Harmell, Granada Hills

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To the editor: President Trump claims that these “sweeping tariffs” will “Make America wealthy again.” Yet both the Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes tanked on “Liberation Day.”

Joseph Garcia, Yorba Linda

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To the editor: I don’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to economics. It may be that President Trump’s tariff blitzkrieg will do all the positive things he says it will for our country. But I doubt it. Trump doesn’t understand the increased costs from his tariffs amount to an indirect tax on the American people. I am embarrassed by this president.

Jerrold Coleman, Santa Clarita

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To the editor: One of the worst parts of Trump’s tariffs is their effect on the Asian countries that we were relying on to “contain” China. Their tariff rates are among the highest Trump imposed, and are likely to drive them into China’s orbit.

John Gallogly, Los Angeles

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To the editor: I look forward to another liberation day: Jan. 20, 2029. That’s the day we will be liberated from the Trump administration and its shambolic policies.

Frank Albers, Seal Beach