this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2025
499 points (99.2% liked)

World News

45416 readers
6202 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The United States has placed Switzerland on a list of countries with "unfair trade practices".

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 151 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Lmao what the actual fuck? Switzerland…? He’s going after the Swiss now…? I just… wow. What is happening.

Edit: it’s apparently about - and I shit you not - chocolate. And it’s their volume market brand. Not even the really good stuff.

[–] pntha@lemmy.world 55 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

they probably hold billions in frozen Russian assets

[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 43 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Probably because Lindt said that they might supply Canada from Europe instead of the US.

Begun the chocolate wars have.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 25 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's getting harder and harder to laugh at shit like this. I mean, it's still funny, but it really is not.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I feel the exact same. It’s tragicomedic.

I laugh to hide the pain. The secret sixth stage of grief is gallows humor.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com 102 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Europe needs to see that unity is the way to go. A united Europe is needed to stand against the mad kings in Russia and the US.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Europe, the place where 27 separate sovereign nations have formed a Union, needs to realise how important it is to be united?

Is that what you're saying?

Well tbey are commenting this on an article about switzerland, which is not in the EU. Though it is in Schengen and the EEA.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 74 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Switzerland has a positive balance of trade in goods and therefore appears on this list.

Ah that's why...

We have good arguments. And we have been doing exactly what President Trump wants for a long time.

Maybe it's time to fucking stop pleasing the orange cunt, he doesn't care!

[–] Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

This focus on the balance of trade is sooo stupid. The US spends more than it produces so it has an aggregate deficit on the trade balance. To stop this, you need to force Americans to spend less (I.e. ignite a recession), or produce more.

Tariffs against selected countries that have a strong bilateral trade surplus with the US will not affect the US’ aggregate trade balance, since it doesn’t affect consumption by/ or production of the US economy. This is common knowledge from econ 101, and shouldn’t need to be explained to a president that supposedly has a degree in business.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] filister@lemmy.world 56 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The US is on a way to piss off all of its trading partners and former allies.

[–] nicky7@lemmy.ml 36 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

We're never going to recover. He's speed running the fall of a nation.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago

At least Nero had some musical talent on display while Rome burned. This guy can't even dance.

[–] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Drumpf had it wrong. It's not Zelenskyy risking WW3, it's himself.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 52 points 3 weeks ago

Trump is all about pretenses.

There are the "reasons" he's making those decisions, and then there are the "pretenses" he uses when the opportunity comes around to make them.

Swiss banks hold a lot of money from oligarchs and billionaires. Putin wants pressure put on them. But Trump has to find the "pretense" to do it so as to at least nominally not be seen as a russian asset. But what a coincidence, Lindt announces that they're going to supply Canada directly from Europe to avoid his tariffs. And BOOM. Pretense established.

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 45 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

He's either completely senile or doing Putin's bidding by destroying whatever is left of the US's international credibility.

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 25 points 3 weeks ago

Por que no los dos?

[–] shani66@ani.social 10 points 3 weeks ago

We've known he is a Russian asset since before he even became president

[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 39 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What? Swiss banks been mean to Putin?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] MapleEngineer@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Can we get a digital badge that the citizens of any advanced liberal democracy that Magastan labels as "bad" can proudly display on their socials?

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 18 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Don't sully the "-stan" countries like that, they don't deserve that association.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 35 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

He's doing the best Zapp Brannigan impression I've ever seen.

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 18 points 3 weeks ago

Well he really must hate those filthy neutrals.

[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 30 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The US is so fucked. People are not going to give the bully their lunch money. They’re going to team up against the bully.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] dzso@lemmy.world 25 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

How many months is it going to take for the Magats to realize they fucked America over?

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Empirical evidence says at least 100.

[–] CMonster@discuss.online 12 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Even if they self aware enough to see that, they will never admit it.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)

Making quality products that people actually want to buy is a dishonest and abusive practice, I'm glad someone finally spoke up.

[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Switzerland might really be one of the few countries no one can ever take over. Even if no one else cared — they will — sending troops running up a mountain where everyone has rifle skills and hidden bunkers is definitely not a military strategy I ever heard of.

[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

...no one can fully ever take over.

ftfy

Reason why the country is what it is, is because quite a few have tried an kinda stuck around.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] CosmicCleric@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Does that mean we have to stop calling it swiss cheese and start calling it holes cheese, or holy cheese?

~This~ ~comment~ ~is~ ~licensed~ ~under~ ~CC~ ~BY-NC-SA~ ~4.0~

[–] DreadPirateSnuggles@lemmy.ca 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] bagelberger@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

✅ Putting holes in things and calling it freedom

[–] filister@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

Cheese of America?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Lol.

As an American I would give my right nut to live there instead of here.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] commander 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Fuck, I wish the government was this enthusiastic about unfair trade practices within its own country.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

Except it has nothing to do with unfair trade practices. It's all about breaking down the world order to make room for Russia.

[–] rxbudian@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago

Welcome to the Trump's list of bad countries, lets trade with each other.
We're growing fast ...

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] MCasq_qsaCJ_234@lemmy.zip 12 points 3 weeks ago

Trump you are not neutral, you are stupid

[–] scytale@lemm.ee 12 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

They’ll pull it back once they realize the billionaires stash some of their money there.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Clbull@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

Does Trump want to fuck with the impenetrable banking fortress nation that is Switzerland?

[–] Floodedwomb@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

He heard they had nazi gold and decided it must be for him.

load more comments
view more: next ›