[sandworm101]

>> but about Google losing their mobile market share.

Under current policy, threats to US industry are threats to national security. That is why Canadian steel was listed as a national security threat. They aren't quiet about these things any more. Cutting into US market share is now openly described as a security threat.

[lambdasquirrel]

So then, any country that wants to become more economically competitive against the US (even Canada) is a national security threat?

[adventured]

The parent is drastically exaggerating.

The US dropped its steel tariffs against Canada and imports ~$325 billion in goods from Canada (equal to ~19% of their economy). Canadian steel represents <2% of that.

Meanwhile the US is going to allow Infineon to buy Cypress, an important US semiconductor company.

The US will have roughly a $21.x trillion economy at the end of 2019. The scale of non-China tariffs is entirely trivial, meaningless. So far there has been very little in the way of actual hits and targeting from tariffs - on the grounds of national security or otherwise - outside of the trade conflict with China.

[oyebenny]

ELI5 please?

[lambdasquirrel]

By the numbers, the only country that has actually taken a hit with tariffs is China (in case you missed the news, Mexico bent over pretty quickly).

The response misses the point that the US is saber-rattling to keep other countries in line. China is the only country to actually challenge the US, so now the US has to show everyone who’s boss.

[xvector]

> Under current policy, threats to US industry are threats to national security.

Sure, maybe policy-wise, but common-sense wise the argument doesn't hold up at all. Google's minimal loss from business with Huawei is nothing compared to Huawei compromising the 5G infrastructure of the US.

[throwaway34241]

I don't understand how those things are related. What does forcing Huawei to fork Android on their cell phones in China and Europe (by totally forbidding them from doing business with Google) have to do with 5G infrastructure in the US?

If the US is so concerned, can't they just ban them from 5G infrastructure? Why is it necessary to fork Android?

[tsss]

The only question is: Do the people/companies who will be affected by compromised 5G have enough agency and bribe money to out do Google?

[reaperducer]

Under current policy, threats to US industry are threats to national security

Certain industries. Usually industries that are critical to the functioning of the economy, or that have been concentrated in hostile or semi-hostile nations without alternatives in friendly countries.

Policy, like everything else in life, is a lot more complicated than the internet likes to portray.

[DiogenesKynikos]

The idea that reliance on Canadian steel represents a threat to US national security is not plausible. Canada isn't hostile to the US, and it would be inconceivable for Canada to cut off steel exports to the US in a critical moment. The Trump administration is quite transparently misusing the phrase "national security" to justify measures meant to force trade concessions from other countries, including American allies.

[c256]

The argument, as I understand it, is this: US national security interests are seriously harmed if the US steel industry is severely hampered.

Note that I’m not attempting to assert a truth, moral, or effectiveness value for this argument.

[DiogenesKynikos]

That argument requires one to assume that Canada might withhold shipments of steel to the United States at some critical moment. Otherwise, it doesn't matter whether steel comes from the US or Canada. As long as Canada doesn't shut down shipments, the United States' access to steel is secure, even if 100% of it comes from Canada.

The argument that Canada might cut off US access to steel is not plausible. The fact that the Trump administration is using the phrase "national security" to try to wring economic and political concessions out of Canada is transparent.

[dantheman]

Trump us using security measures because that's all he has there's nothing real about it. All other tariffs require Congress to act, hopefully we'll remove this power before it's abused again.