Donald Trump’s Fart Act explained
Leaked tariff bill draft reportedly suggests that US abandons WTO rules
US President Donald Trump is looking to walk away from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and instead adopt a United States Fair and Reciprocal Tariff Act, or Fart Act, according to media reports.
The claims have been met with both bewilderment and amusement, but if true, have serious implications.
What does the Act say?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
US news website Axios says it has received a leaked early draft of a bill ordered by the president that would see America take what The Guardian calls “the unlikely step” of abandoning WTO rules - and in the process, allow Trump to raise tariffs without the consent of Congress.
The Bill “would be a dramatic shift in trade policy with wide-reaching impacts”, adds the newspaper.
It would give Trump unilateral power to ignore the two most basic principles of the WTO: those of the “Most Favoured Nation” and “bound tariff rates”. The former means that countries can’t set different tariff rates for different countries outside of free trade agreements, while the latter are the ceilings that each WTO country has already agreed to in previous negotiations.
What’s with the name?
“Fabulously, the draft bill is termed the US Fair And Reciprocal Tariff act, which as acronyms go would take some beating,” says Politico’s Jack Blanchard.
Predictably, the name was greeted with glee on Twitter.
Will the Act be passed?
“It is no secret that Potus has had frustrations with the unfair imbalance of tariffs that put the US at a disadvantage,” White House spokesperson Lindsay Walters told Axios.
“He has asked his team to develop ideas to remedy this situation and create incentives for countries to lower their tariffs. The current system gives the US no leverage and other countries no incentive.”
However, the website concludes that there is zero chance of Congress allowing Trump to go ahead with his plan.
“The good news is Congress would never give this authority to the president,” a source told the website, describing the Bill as “insane”.
Another said: “The Trump administration should be more worried about not having their current authority restricted rather than expanding authority as this Bill would do.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'A speaker courageous enough to stand up to the extremists in his own party'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 18, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - impeachment Peanuts, record-breaking temperatures, and more
By The Week US Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'A direct, protracted war with Israel is not something Iran is equipped to fight'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why are Republicans trying to change Nebraska's Electoral College vote?
Today's Big Question It's a chance for Donald Trump to block Joe Biden's path to re-election
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
House GOP scuttles FISA vote at Trump's urging
Speed Read Right-wing lawmakers blocked Speaker Mike Johnson's surveillance bill
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
To win the election, Trump is changing how elections are run
Under The Radar While the former president campaigns for a second term in office, he and his team have quietly been working to tilt the nation's electoral rules in his favor.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'What a difference a judge makes'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published