Donald Trump's newly announced tariffs have sparked online controversy, with many questioning the logic behind the figures. The tariffs include a base 10% on all imports, plus steep additional rates like 34% on China and 20% on Europe. However, critics found these numbers statistically flawed—some even targeted uninhabited territories like Heard Island.
Economist James Surowiecki suggested the White House may have calculated tariffs by dividing the U.S. trade deficit with a country by that country’s exports to the U.S.—a flawed and misleading method. Surprisingly, this exact formula aligns with suggestions made by popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok when asked how to solve trade imbalances.
Although the White House denied using this approach, online users speculate that Trump’s team may have relied on AI tools rather than expert economists. The situation has escalated, raising concerns about decision-making based on consumer apps like Signal, and potential influence from tech figures like Elon Musk.
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