Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 5
From Truth Social today:
It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country. We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
For all those who want something done about Putin, you should be cheering the double whammy of removing Maduro and putting pressure on India to end Russian oil exports. From a policy point of view if you want to support Zelensky and hurt Putin, this is a big way you do it.
No. of Recommendations: 1
I was about to post that same bit of news.
Trump slashes tariffs on India after Modi agrees to stop buying Russian oil
That will be a tall task: India has been importing roughly 1.5 million barrels of Russian oil each day — even months after Trump placed tariffs on Indian goods as punishment — according to Kpler, a global trade data provider. Russian oil makes up more than a third of India’s overall imports.
Trump said in a social media post that he spoke Monday morning with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who agreed to replace the country’s Russian crude imports with oil from Venezuela and the United States. Venezuelan oil is of the same quality as Russian oil — heavy, sour and perfect for making derivatives like fuel oil and diesel, which India’s refineries are already set up to process, noted Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital.
“Fully replacing Russian oil with oil from Venezuela or the US will take significant investment,” said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategy director at U.S. Bank Asset Management. “But. over time, this may create additional challenges for the Russian economy.”https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-slashes-tarif...So God on Earth Trump leverages the size of the US market to extort the purchase of oil stolen from Venezuela, at a higher price than Russian crude, by India, for the profit of US oil companies, with a skim going into Pirate King Trump's account in Qatar.
God and Savior Trump will probably try to extort the capital needed to expand Venezuelan production from India too, as Exxon has been reluctant.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 14
While Trump conducts policy over social media with people who butter him up knowing that he'll forget what they told him and what he decided five minutes later, the EU has actually signed a formal free trade agreement with India. Guess who America's trading partners take seriously and who they view as a buffoon who concentrates all his efforts on empty gestures.
In 2024 American consumers paid an average 2.4% tariff on goods from India. In April 2025 Trump raised it to 25%, and later he jacked it up to 50%, and now he says he's cutting it to 18%. What will it be next month? Nobody knows. What a way to run a country.
No. of Recommendations: 1
compare : america and india have reached par on short-term opportunism, if not corruption.
contrast : modi is much more intelligent than trump, and prioritizes country over self-benefit.
result : i would be shocked if india complies, knowing trump may not have bothered with competency\resources in monitoring. or caring, given its putin.
i simply point to trump's full year of not being able to find more than one of the ~1000 tanker darkfleet...and russia has ~90% routes to china or india.
EMPANADA !
No. of Recommendations: 4
More chess being played:
https://x.com/MOSSADil/status/2017900055131222498?...
Donald Trump reveals a strategic oil play:
• The U.S. reached a deal with India to buy oil from Venezuela
• That oil replaces purchases previously coming from Iran
• China is now invited to make a similar deal
Pressure Tehran. Redirect cash flows. Change the board without firing a shot.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Donald Trump reveals a strategic oil play:
• The U.S. reached a deal with India to buy oil from Venezuela
• That oil replaces purchases previously coming from Iran
• China is now invited to make a similar deal
According to Trump the Perfect, the Venezuelan crude is supposed to replace Russian, not Iranian. The awkward thing is, that messes up the plan to use VZ crude as a replacement for Canadian, in the US, to escalate his trade war with Canada. Even at it's peak production, 3.5mbpd, VZ could not entirely replace all the oil India imports from Russia, and all the US imports from Canada.
According to the net sifter, India's primary sources of crude are Russia, Iraq, and Saudi, not Iran.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 4
According to Trump the Perfect, the Venezuelan crude is supposed to replace Russian, not Iranian. The awkward thing is, that messes up the plan to use VZ crude as a replacement for Canadian, in the US, to escalate his trade war with Canada
The only people who want. Trade war with Canada are Carney and the democrats. I’m not sure why.
I’ve said this many times: Trump is aligning global oil flows to squeeze the Russkies and the Iranians. Most people agree this would be a good thing.
No. of Recommendations: 1
The only people who want. Trade war with Canada are Carney and the democrats. I’m not sure why. Trump the Magnificent and Flawless was making a big enough stink about Greenland, and the USMCA that he took credit for, on the last go around, comes up for renegotiation this year. Seems God on Earth Trump is itching to kick someone around, especially after being skunked on Greenland.
Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariff over pending trade deal with Chinahttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-threaten...Steve
No. of Recommendations: 3
Are you aware that Canada is divided ti enter into a trade agreement with China?
At all?
It’s a provision in the USMCA.
https://www.reuters.com/article/world/trade-pact-c...The provision specifies that if one of the current North American Free Trade Agreement partners enters a free trade deal with a "non-market" country such as China, the others can quit in six months and form their own bilateral trade pact.It’s amazing how the US media didn’t report on this. Almost like they wanted to just have anti American headlines.
Carney knew damn well his China deal was going nowhere. He also knew the media would never call his bluff.
No. of Recommendations: 2
The provision specifies that if one of the current North American Free Trade Agreement partners enters a free trade deal with a "non-market" country such as China,Canada's agreement with China is NOT an FTA. It only covers a limited number of products, like EVs, which Trump doesn't want produced by USian companies anyway.
Carney says Canada not pursuing free trade deal with China as Trump threatens 100% tariffs
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Carney said that the country respects its obligations under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement, known as CUSMA in Canada and the USMCA in the U.S., and will not pursue a free trade agreement without notifying the other two parties.
Under the agreement, Canada will allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the market annually at a lowered tariff rate of 6.1%, after raising tariffs on such vehicles to 100% in October 2024 in conjunction with the U.S.
In return, Beijing will cut duties on Canadian agricultural exports, including on canola seed oil, which will see tariffs drop to 15% from March 1, down from the current 85%. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/26/canada-china-trade...Trump is butt-hurt because Canada would not pay the $1B bribe to "join" Trump's fake "Board of Peace", so Trump the God lies about the Canada/China agreement to whip up another argument.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 2
• China is now invited to make a similar deal
Didn't you originally think the whole take Maduro out was to stop the flow of oil from Venezuela to China? That was the 4D chess play?
Now China is replaced by Russia and Iran? What will be the next 4D chess move?
No. of Recommendations: 1
The Soviet Lovers on the Left can't stand it.
Their European buddies helped fund the war in Ukraine - buying fossil fuels from Putin lol.
Now Trump is trying to divert some Petro Dollars AWAY from Putin....
And the Pinko Putin Loving Liberals don't like it.
I repeat my regret: I wish Putin had strengthened his own economy. Then - he could truly give an ass whipping to Germany or France. They deserve it way more than Ukraine does.
No. of Recommendations: 4
Steve,
Again with the omnisience which is so characteristic of people suffering from paranoid delusions.
Have you ever even read the trade agreements you are interpreting with such certainty as to their meaning?
I'm sure they are very complex documents and it would probably take a team of lawyers and trade experts to actually understand what they mean.
That's not you.
Again, you really need to check your omniscience. It's a sign not of awesome knowledge, but of paranoid ideation.
No. of Recommendations: 1
It's a sign not of awesome knowledge, but of paranoid ideation.
Or recognizing that a 6.1% tariff is not 0%.
Canada only imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs as a sop to Trump the Magnificent. Trump picked another fight with them anyway.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 4
Trump the God lies about the Canada/China agreement to whip up another argument.
The Reuters article I gave you was from…
…2018.
No. of Recommendations: 1
The Reuters article I gave you was from…
…2018.
And I'm talking about Trump the Perfect's latest hissy fit. Please,try to keep up. ;^)
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 5
No. of Recommendations: 2
Then that’s good news for Putin and Russia.
For Ukrainians? Not so much.
No. of Recommendations: 1
It does not mention Russian oil.
The only mention I find of energy products is here.
India intends to purchase $500 billion of U.S. energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years.
According to the net sifter, India imports about $143B in energy products per year. 41% of India's oil supply is sourced from Russia.
Steve
