International, National & Minnesota Report

As the world watched in stunned silence, Donald J. Trump’s (R) tariff strategy unfolded like a disastrous symphony of political theatrics and economic chaos. It wasn’t just the working-class Americans who were getting squeezed by inflated prices, or the global trading partners left in the wake of the self-inflicted wounds. Behind the scenes, a much darker, more nefarious picture began to emerge—one that pointed to a deliberate and calculated attempt to devalue the stock market for the benefit of a select few. Could Trump’s infamous tariffs have been a manipulative power play to allow his cronies, particularly in South Africa, to purchase undervalued stocks and capitalize on their inevitable recovery once the threat of tariffs subsided?

Let’s break this down.

When Trump announced his trade wars in 2018, claiming tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imports, he promised to “level the playing field” and bring back American jobs. The rhetoric was nationalistic, the soundbites were populist, and the message was clear: Trump was standing up for the common worker. But those who were paying attention quickly realized that, under the surface, things weren’t adding up. The tariffs, while supposedly aimed at protecting American industries, were wreaking havoc on American consumers, raising the cost of goods and damaging industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.

But there’s more to this than meets the eye. Trump’s repeated and erratic tariff announcements created massive instability in global stock markets, sending stock prices plummeting with every new tweet or press conference. For months, the market trembled as the trade war between the United States and China escalated, only to be met with yet another abrupt policy change. Companies that had been the darlings of Wall Street suddenly saw their stock prices tumble—a perfect storm for those in the know to swoop in and buy up undervalued assets.

What if, just what if, this wasn’t all a series of accidental blunders or misguided economic policies? What if Trump’s tariff strategy was, at its core, a means to devalue the stock market deliberately, thereby creating an opportunity for his wealthy, well-connected allies to buy up shares at a bargain price? And who, you ask, are these beneficiaries? The answer may lie with Trump’s South African cronies—business partners, financiers, and other shadowy figures who have long had a hand in the Trump Organization’s dealings.

The South African Connection: A Web of Deals and Deception

It’s no secret that Trump has a history of questionable relationships with foreign nationals, and the South African link is particularly troubling. Patrice Motsepe, a billionaire mining magnate from South Africa, is one name that comes to mind, and he is closely followed by Peter Thiel. Motsepe, a man with deep political connections in both South Africa and across Africa, has been a vocal Trump supporter and a financial backer of several of Trump’s ventures. But what if these connections go deeper? What if Motsepe and others were using their access to Trump to create an artificially depressed market, knowing that once the tariffs were lifted or the market stabilized, these stocks would surge once again?

In the case of Thiel, he was the staunch support of Senator JD Vance’s (R-OH) selection for Vice-President. He is known as an iconoclastic technology investor,. This positions him like a vulture circling around artifically depressed stocks. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that this manipulative tactic was designed to line the pockets of those with inside knowledge of what Trump’s next move would be.

A Malignant Scheme for Profit

As the tariffs began to take their toll on industries, certain sectors—especially technology, agriculture, and automotive—saw their stocks fall into undervalued territory. The likes of Apple, Tesla, and Caterpillar, companies with solid long-term growth potential, saw their stock prices drop. Meanwhile, investors with deep pockets and the right connections began scooping up these valuable shares for pennies on the dollar. It’s not hard to imagine that once the “threat” of tariffs was over—whether due to a change in policy under Trump or his successor—these same stocks would rebound, as they always do, bringing massive profits to those who were shrewd enough to short them during the instability.

While the market was in turmoil, Trump and his allies reaped the rewards of this chaotic environment. Elon Musk, who has been known to have a somewhat cozy relationship with Trump, certainly didn’t miss this opportunity. Tesla’s stock, which saw wild fluctuations during the tariff period, eventually rebounded as expected. Meanwhile, Trump’s corporate donors and key partners—some of them tied to questionable overseas business dealings—could have been quietly preparing to capitalize on this market downturn. It’s a perfect storm of market manipulation and self-interest, with the American people bearing the brunt of the costs.

The Real Beneficiaries: Power, Influence, and Control

It’s hard to ignore the staggering possibility that Trump’s tariff strategy wasn’t just a misguided attempt to revive American manufacturing, but a calculated financial scheme meant to enrich a few well-connected individuals. Who benefits from this? Trump, for one, and his inner circle, which includes foreign nationals who are known to have ties to the president’s business empire. Trump’s South African partners, like Motsepe, have been known to have their fingers in numerous profitable ventures, many of which could benefit greatly from a temporary stock market downturn.

Let’s not forget about the Trump Organization itself. If Trump were to offload some of his own holdings during this tumultuous period, it could allow him to buy them back at a lower price once the tariffs were eased or eliminated. With his track record of making money off real estate and hotel deals, it’s not unreasonable to suspect that he saw this market instability as yet another opportunity to enrich himself and his cronies.

The American workers, on the other hand, are left holding the bag—bearing the brunt of higher costs, struggling with stagnant wages, and getting caught up in the political spectacle of trade wars that never delivered the promised results. They are not the beneficiaries. They are the pawns, manipulated into thinking that Trump’s “America First” agenda was a plan that would help them, when in reality, they were just collateral damage in a game of global financial manipulation.

Conclusion: A Sinister Power Play

Is this all just a conspiracy theory, or is it the reality of what Trump’s tariffs were truly about? The evidence suggests that Trump’s economic decisions—especially with respect to his tariff strategy—were not born out of a desire to protect the American worker, but rather out of a desire to manipulate the markets for the benefit of himself and his global cronies. Whether it was Trump’s own financial interests, his South African business partners, or his allies in the tech world, the real beneficiaries of his actions were always those with the power to move markets and profit off their volatility.

This is a dangerous game of manipulation and malfeasance, and it shows the stark reality that, for Trump, the American people have always been a means to an end. They were never the priority. The only thing that mattered was maintaining power and wealth for himself and his inner circle. The American worker? Well, they were just a stepping stone in the pursuit of profit. The tariffs? Just another tool in his arsenal of financial power plays.

It’s time to call it what it is—manipulation. And the real shame is that, as always, it’s the people at the bottom who pay the price.