You've heard it hundreds of times, and nauseum. "Energy independence." "Trade independence." "Technology independence." The silly idea that we can and should exist without trade.
Republicans have always been isolationist, except for periodic mini-wars against much smaller nations, to gather loot and to show them Rooskies. I remember them endlessly chirping "Buy American!" when American cars were shoddily built and unreliable. And of course, they're THRILLED with the current Trump shit, because they think it'll reduce the TRAID DESSIFIT.
Here's the reality. NO nation, since ancient times, has existed without trade. And NO nation is self-sufficient; no nation makes everything it needs. We MUST trade to survive.
But Trump truly believes that trade is inherently bad; that every nation on earth is our enemy; and that everybody's trying to screw us over. Understandable that he thinks that, since that's the way he's always done business. He truly thinks that it's all a zero-sum game--you have to lose for me to win. He cannot comprehend the idea of mutual benefit. And the Law of Comparative Advantage, which explains why trade is necessary, is utterly beyond him.
So I know what Trumpiffs are all about. They are intended to destroy trade.
And they're succeeding! Independence, whee!