The US may not be the world’s factory, but it’s the world’s brain. As countries form their tariff responses, experts are watching for tailored broadsides not at American goods, but its services.
Despite running deep deficits in manufacturing, America sells $300 billion more in financial advice, IP licenses, consulting slide decks, and other services to other countries than it buys from them. Europe is already readying a long-discussed digital tax that would hit big US tech companies.
“Just wait a few weeks,” Jason Furman, a former Obama economic adviser, tells Semafor. Rivals will “hit us where it hurts.” Tariffs on financial and digital services would bring Wall Street and Silicon Valley CEOs into a fight that so far has hit heartland manufacturers.
well… it’s gonna suck bad for a while, but the less reliance the world has on American goods and services while they’re infected with right wing authoritarian cultists brain rot, the better well be for it I think. The pre trump world seems like a beautiful dream of a better time now….
Just wait for other countries to ban services like Google and Netflix
![[OC] US balance of trade](https://www.europesays.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tjnehhy2uste1-1600x1024.jpeg)
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From the [Semafor Business](https://www.semafor.com/newsletter/04/08/2025/us-trading-partners-face-a-choice-retaliate-or-cave?utm_campaign=semaforreddit) newsletter:
The US may not be the world’s factory, but it’s the world’s brain. As countries form their tariff responses, experts are watching for tailored broadsides not at American goods, but its services.
Despite running deep deficits in manufacturing, America sells $300 billion more in financial advice, IP licenses, consulting slide decks, and other services to other countries than it buys from them. Europe is already readying a long-discussed digital tax that would hit big US tech companies.
“Just wait a few weeks,” Jason Furman, a former Obama economic adviser, tells Semafor. Rivals will “hit us where it hurts.” Tariffs on financial and digital services would bring Wall Street and Silicon Valley CEOs into a fight that so far has hit heartland manufacturers.
[Read more here.](https://www.semafor.com/newsletter/04/08/2025/us-trading-partners-face-a-choice-retaliate-or-cave?utm_campaign=semaforreddit)
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
Tool: Datawrapper
From a quick look at [This chart](https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/?reqid=62&step=9&isuri=1&product=4#eyJhcHBpZCI6NjIsInN0ZXBzIjpbMSw5LDZdLCJkYXRhIjpbWyJwcm9kdWN0IiwiNCJdLFsiVGFibGVMaXN0IiwiNDA1Il1dfQ==) from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, it looks like Finance (net $56 Billion) and Publishing (net $34 Billion) are two big ones.
well… it’s gonna suck bad for a while, but the less reliance the world has on American goods and services while they’re infected with right wing authoritarian cultists brain rot, the better well be for it I think. The pre trump world seems like a beautiful dream of a better time now….
Just wait for other countries to ban services like Google and Netflix
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