Treemaps, Trumps Tariffs and AI

The Goody I Found (TGIF) this week are some treemaps about the value of goods imported to the U.S. in 2023. I found them in the FlowingData newsletter – originally from the Washington Post: https://lnkd.in/eY3eXTBG

I’m a big fan of treemaps! For me, they’re the best visualisation for depicting part-to-whole relationships. And I think these ones are particularly good because they focus on the three most important countries.

treemaps about the value of goods imported to the U.S. in 2023
treemaps about the value of goods imported to the U.S. in 2023

Obviously Trump has chosen the right candidates for higher tariffs: Mexico is the largest source of imports to the United States, followed by China and Canada. The United States imported $9.9 billion worth of vegetables and more than $11 billion worth of fruit and frozen juices from Mexico in 2023.
“The proposed tariffs would have a significant impact on food prices”, said David Ortega, a food economist and professor at Michigan State University.
Wasn’t fighting US inflation Trump’s big promise?

A similarly confusing picture for the automotive industry: More than half of goods classified as automotive vehicles, parts and engines come from Canada and Mexico. It’s an integrated North American supply chain and cars are often made between the United States and its closest neighbors: parts go back and forth across the border during the manufacturing process. Tariffs make this process much more expensive.
Again: „The result … will probably be higher prices for everyday Americans.”

I asked an AI – perplexity.com – what it “thought” of Trump’s tariffs.
Here is the short answer:
“Trump argues that import tariffs should strengthen domestic production and make the US less dependent on foreign goods. … Trump’s assumption is based on simplistic protectionist logic, but largely ignores the short-term inflationary and long-term growth-damaging effects. The planned tariffs are therefore more likely to be a political signal than an economically well thought-out instrument to combat inflation.”

Oops, an AI can be that clear?!?

Exciting months await us. Stay upright!

Have a nice weekend
Lars

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