Trump, the puppet-master president: between tariff bluffing and energy market control

Whether one appreciates the political figure or not, an objective observer can easily see that Donald Trump has brought his seasoned businessman approach—based on constant power plays and controlled uncertainty—into the White House. Since his first term (2016-2020), he has implemented significant tariffs, notably on imported steel and aluminum, directly impacting North American energy industries. Officially, this assertive strategy aimed to protect American industrial interests while setting favorable conditions for future trade negotiations. The immediate consequences were increased production costs for U.S. energy companies and a significant shift in trade dynamics with Canada and Mexico.