Corruption at the White House – Tariffs
A recent HuffPost post noted that the United States, specifically the Trump White House, is moving towards more corrupt behaviors based upon the imposition of the new worldwide tariffs. This is not a fanciful conspiracy theory. It is a concern, unfortunately, based upon previous behaviors during the first Trump administration and looks like it will be happening again if the American public is not vigilant. “If you define corruption as making side deals with the Trump administration for special exemptions, which is certain to happen on a grand scale, and may well be the intent of the tariff imposition itself,” said Bill Megginson, a finance professor at the University of Oklahoma’s business school.”
What can be done to avoid this? The best way to counter these possible actions is to ensure that, as much as possible, that trade negotiations are transparent, and reported upon, with conclusions clearly and publicly noted. The HuffPost reported “A report by Public Citizen last month pointed out that sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska won an exemption from Trump’s aluminum tariffs not long after Trump met privately with Deripaska’s friend, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. That waiver was reversed after a public outcry.” This is the best way to continue to minimize potential corruption.
Obviously, it would be best if US government officials did not act corruptly, but luckily, so far, the United States still has significant deterrents against corrupt actions. Let us hope it lasts.
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