Simon Lester

@simonlester.com

7.2K followers 730 following 7.5K posts

Founded WorldTradeLaw.net & ChinaTradeMonitor.com Non-Resident Fellow @bakerinstitute.bsky.social

Trade Policy feed: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xqzu2eazvxb5fohoc4nap33y/feed/aaab5ctu4u4fc

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Political science 43%

Economics 28%

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · Apr 3

I see lots of new followers popping up today. I assume you are here for the trade policy, in which case you might like my custom trade policy feed: bsky.app/profile/did:...

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 5h

They are showing you the zeroes, but anything not listed is at a very high IEEPA rate (lower than original, but still very high)

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 5h

There are some US tariffs going to zero, but not clear to me how much trade that covers. And still lots of tariffs at very high levels.

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 6h

* Will mostly remain well above ...

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 6h

Under these deals, US tariffs will be below the original IEEPA "reciprocal" rate but well above what they were before "Liberation Day."

As for the foreign tariffs coming down, will be interesting to see what impact that has on US exports.

Reposted by Simon Lester

The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · 6h

German minister says auto industry in talks to expand footprint in Canada

Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche says she can’t go into detail, but Carney’s auto strategy ‘is very attractive’

www.theglobeandmail.com

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 7h

Drafts is beautiful. My poasting quality is going to go through the roof!

Bluesky @bsky.app · 7h

v1.116 is rolling out now!

For all the overthinkers and perfectionists out there, we're launching Drafts.

A demonstration of where you can find the drafts feature in the top right corner of the post composer on Bluesky.

Reposted by Claudia Sahm, Daniel Huppmann, Andrew Jacobs , and 3 more Claudia Sahm, Daniel Huppmann, Andrew Jacobs, Simon Lester, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, David Darmofal

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 7h

The White House just sent a "Don't Panic" email. That'll do it

Don’t Be a Panican. We’re Winning — and We’re Not Slowing Down.

Under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, this Administration is smashing through the chaos and destruction left by Democrats and unleashing the most aggressive pursuit of the America First agenda in history. While the Fake News and Radical Left collude to distract, depress, and divide, they’re simply lying to mask the undeniable truth: America is safer, stronger, richer, and more secure than at any point in decades.

Don’t take the bait. New victories pour in daily as President Trump delivers on his promises and rebuilds the foundation for long-term success in the greatest nation on Earth.

Here are a few things to celebrate from just the past few days:

Reposted by Simon Lester

Washington Post Opinions @postopinions.bsky.social · 7h

"No matter what data points the president points to, his tariff policies appear to be holding back the very prosperity he claims to have achieved," Phil Gramm and Donald J. Boudreaux write. https://wapo.st/404MjnL

Opinion | The best evidence against Trump’s tariffs? His own first term.

Without tariffs, the first year of the president’s first term saw a healthier economy than 2025.

wapo.st

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Will Jennings, Maarten Vink , and 2 more Katharine Hayhoe, Will Jennings, Maarten Vink, Simon Lester, Nicolai von Ondarza

Bluesky @bsky.app · 7h

v1.116 is rolling out now!

For all the overthinkers and perfectionists out there, we're launching Drafts.

Reposted by Simon Lester

China Trade Monitor @chinatrademonitor.bsky.social · 9h

China and South Africa Sign Framework Pact, Moving Toward Zero-Tariff Trade Deal

South Africa became the latest African country to formalize a landmark Framework Agreement with China, securing zero-tariff treatment for all its exports as Beijing expands its trade network across the African continent. ...

dlvr.it

Reposted by Simon Lester

Reuters @reuters.com · 10h

BYD files lawsuit, seeks refund over Trump's US auto tariffs reut.rs/4kn3rOW

BYD files lawsuit, seeks refund over Trump's US auto tariffs

Chinese automaker BYD has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government challenging President Donald Trump's bid to use sweeping authority to impose tariffs, and requesting a refund for all levies it paid since last April, court documents show.

reut.rs

Reposted by Simon Lester

Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 10h

As for "libertarians" writ large, my guesstimate would be: about a third went full MAGA, about half stuck to fence-sitting both-sides-ism (see that in the vote totals above), and only the minority remainder were ever strongly anti-Trump. Most of whom are now disaffected from libertarian orgs.

Reposted by Simon Lester

Aaron Ross Powell ☸️ @aaronrosspowell.com · 11h

While everyone’s on the topic of libertarians who got in bed with MAGA authoritarianism, here’s what I wrote about it, including the history of how we got here, way back in 2022. The years since have, I believe, made my worries look, if anything, understated. www.aaronrosspowell.com/3m2fgwdmc7c2a

How the Right Distorted Libertarianism - Aaron Ross Powell's Blog

Once rooted in liberalism, libertarianism's detour through the conservative movement has blunted its radical edge and commitment to principle.

www.aaronrosspowell.com

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 11h

Can the ASIL members replicate the sets, dancing, etc.?

Reposted by Alan Richardson, David R. Miller, Mark Rice , and 1 more Alan Richardson, David R. Miller, Mark Rice, Simon Lester

David A. Graham @dgraham.bsky.social · 12h

Is there some sort of award for perfectly missing the point?

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 13h

Yes, that will be difficult.

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 13h

One would think so, yes!

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 13h

I feel like there is a view among some self-proclaimed libertarians that racism is a personal belief and that personal beliefs should never be criticized. Their only concern is what the government is doing. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of this approach to promoting limited government.

Anthony L. Fisher @anthonylfisher.bsky.social · 14h

When I worked for Reason magazine during Trump's rise to power in 2016, I was explicitly forbidden by the editor in chief from writing about Trump's racism, or the violence and racism at his rallies.

It was a "sideshow," I was told.

Anthony L. Fisher @anthonylfisher.bsky.social · 14h

Weird. I tried to warn libertarians about Trump

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 14h

With legal texts for 5 US trade deals now, we can do some analysis. Here I look at a provision that tries to induce trading partners to coordinate with US on import restrictions for economic/national security. TL;DR: Governments have discretion to decide whether to adopt US import restrictions.

Comparing the Economic and National Security Provisions in the New U.S. Trade Deals

By my count, we now have the legal texts of five Trump administration trade agreements. Will there be enforcement actions under these agreements?

ielp.worldtradelaw.net

Reposted by Juan Cole, Simon Lester, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò , and 1 more Juan Cole, Simon Lester, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Anthony L. Fisher @anthonylfisher.bsky.social · 14h

Weird. I tried to warn libertarians about Trump

Reposted by Lisa Diedrich, Simon Lester, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 14h

Analysis: Weeks before he set foot on the stage, Bad Bunny’s halftime performance had already become a media event.

But if you were looking for political commentary, the closest that you got was when he said “God bless America” in English.

Analysis | Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show was expected to provoke. Did it?

The Bad Bunny Super Bowl show nodded to injustices in Puerto Rico but mostly evoked wholesome family values that meshed with the more sentimental commercials.

www.washingtonpost.com

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 14h

That's possible. Hard to see him connecting with normies in a general election though.

Reposted by Simon Lester, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14h

Hassett: "There's a pretty big decline in the labor force because of illegals leaving the country, so the break even job number is quite a bit lower than it was under Joe Biden. So you should expect slightly smaller job numbers."

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 14h

I don't think he could take it very far

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 15h

We should get rid of the electoral college, which was a key ingredient in how we got here.

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 15h

It's going to be hard to have Trumpism without Trump. I don't see anyone with the name recognition and personality to pull it off. We could actually go back to the politics that came before.

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 15h

A post-Trump restoration is still possible ft.trib.al/GX2fiqG

A post-Trump restoration is still possible

His presidency may eventually be seen as an aberration rather than a permanent shift

ft.trib.al

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 15h

Worth emphasizing that Trump is at odds with many people in his administration on how to approach China. Not sure where that leads us.

Chad P. Bown @chadpbown.com · 15h

Hanging over it all are myriad questions over Trump’s intentions with China. The suspicion of many allies and experts being that he is more interested in striking a commercially driven trade deal than isolating an existential rival.

by @sdonnan.bsky.social