President Donald Trump said on Monday he was raising tariffs on U.S. imports of South Korean autos and other goods, blaming the legislature of an ally and a major trading partner for dragging its feet on enacting a deal agreed last year.
For South Korea, the decision, which officials in Seoul said caught them by surprise, is the latest setback as it tries to navigate the alliance and trade partnership amid potential challenges to its security and financial stability posed by Trump’s demands.
Here is Trump’s tariff playbook, step by step (save this)
1. Trump hints at new tariffs → markets drift lower
2. Big tariff number announced → markets sell off hard
3. Dip gets bought → bounce fades → fresh lows hit
4. Friday after the close → White House doubles down
5. Weekend → target country responds in the headlines
6. Sunday before futures → Trump signals talks or “progress”
7. Futures gap up Sunday night → strength fades into Monday
8. Monday morning → Treasury hits TV to calm investors
9. Next 2 to 4 weeks → nonstop “trade deal progress” leaks
10. Deal announced → stocks rip to new highs
Then the cycle resets.
Here is Trump’s tariff playbook, step by step (save this)
1. Trump hints at new tariffs → markets drift lower
2. Big tariff number announced → markets sell off hard
3. Dip gets bought → bounce fades → fresh lows hit
4. Friday after the close → White House doubles down… https://t.co/Rg7uSA3amY
— StockMarket.News (@_Investinq) January 26, 2026