Steve Craven
@kekepana.bsky.social
Former trade negotiator, economist and U.S. diplomat in Europe and Asia. GATT and Tokyo Round. NSL4A. Currently paddling outrigger canoes in Hawai’i.
I represented my country for more than three decades. I feel as if my life’s work has been torched.
Brutish, bullying, imperialistic: the Ugly American is back | Steven Greenhouse
Donald Trump is using US power to insert himself into other countries’ affairs, treating them as vassals
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:51 PM
I represented my country for more than three decades. I feel as if my life’s work has been torched.
Surprised I missed this earlier, but 💯!
How the Supreme Court Could Save Christmas
If Trump lets them.
www.thebulwark.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Surprised I missed this earlier, but 💯!
If it happens the team should be renamed as the Washington Orangeskins.
Trump reportedly wants new NFL stadium in Washington named after him
ESPN reports Trump wants the Commanders’ new $3.7bn stadium to bear his name, with the White House suggesting the request could succeed
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:17 PM
If it happens the team should be renamed as the Washington Orangeskins.
The orange Führer manages the economy about as well as he managed casinos. Straight into the ground. The American people have seen this film already.
US consumer sentiment drops to near record low as shutdown persists
Economic concerns felt by Americans of different ages, incomes and political affiliations, survey finds
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The orange Führer manages the economy about as well as he managed casinos. Straight into the ground. The American people have seen this film already.
If the Supremes act rationally (still a yuge assumption, I know), at least the orange tyrant won’t be able to impose One Big Beautiful tariffs again. He’ll have to reimpose his “reciprocal” duties piecemeal and face a few hurdles. Trump and his servants aren’t good with hurdles.
Trump Tariff Trouble
His doublethink may be too much even for the supine Supremes
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:08 PM
If the Supremes act rationally (still a yuge assumption, I know), at least the orange tyrant won’t be able to impose One Big Beautiful tariffs again. He’ll have to reimpose his “reciprocal” duties piecemeal and face a few hurdles. Trump and his servants aren’t good with hurdles.
The tyranny has been reduced to using political loyalty tests. Meaning, of course, loyalty to the orange Führer.
Unions sue over ‘loyalty question’ for federal jobseekers
Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management added a series of essay questions to the federal hiring process, including one that asked jobseekers about their favorite Trump executive order or...
www.govexec.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
The tyranny has been reduced to using political loyalty tests. Meaning, of course, loyalty to the orange Führer.
You know, even after devoting much of my working life to trade policy, I never thought of tariffs as “life or death”. For me tariffs were always secondary to nontariff measures. NTBs are so much more precise. Good thing the orange tyrant doesn’t care about that.
When is a tariff not a tax? When I say so, Trump tells supreme court
The fate of the US president’s signature, globe-rattling economic policy is in the hands of a court he shaped
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
You know, even after devoting much of my working life to trade policy, I never thought of tariffs as “life or death”. For me tariffs were always secondary to nontariff measures. NTBs are so much more precise. Good thing the orange tyrant doesn’t care about that.
I am so looking forward to this. Keeping my thumbs tucked (that’s the German version for crossing my fingers).
November 6, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I am so looking forward to this. Keeping my thumbs tucked (that’s the German version for crossing my fingers).
IEEPA was enacted in 1977 during the Tokyo Round trade talks. We were joined by Members of Congress in both tariff and non-tariff negotiations. I never saw any indicaton that they planned to give up their powers to control tariffs.
Trump’s Tariffs Might Have Gone Too Far Even for This Supreme Court
The justices have been friendly to the president, but on Wednesday a majority of them took a dim view of his claims to widespread power to impose tariffs on American importers.
newrepublic.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:58 AM
IEEPA was enacted in 1977 during the Tokyo Round trade talks. We were joined by Members of Congress in both tariff and non-tariff negotiations. I never saw any indicaton that they planned to give up their powers to control tariffs.
Trade in counterfeits is always with us. Too many still think the trade is about fake Rolexes. As a negotiator in the 1970s, we got policymakers to take counterfeits more seriously only after we discovered the trade in fake birth control pills and counterfeit parts for aircraft engines.
Weight loss jab warning: fraudsters’ fake products ‘could cause real harm’
As texts and social media offer cheap offers, buying from unverified sellers can cause serious health problems
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Trade in counterfeits is always with us. Too many still think the trade is about fake Rolexes. As a negotiator in the 1970s, we got policymakers to take counterfeits more seriously only after we discovered the trade in fake birth control pills and counterfeit parts for aircraft engines.
There is hope for a rational decision, but the Führer will apply maximum pressure for the irrational.
Six justices lined up to bash the Justice Department’s defense of the tariffs, barely disguising their annoyance with the government’s barrage of blustery nonsense. slate.trib.al/ud20IUU
The Supreme Court’s Tariffs Arguments Were a Bloodbath for Trump
Going into Supreme Court arguments over President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Wednesday, it was genuinely difficult to guess how the justices would rule.
slate.trib.al
November 5, 2025 at 9:38 PM
There is hope for a rational decision, but the Führer will apply maximum pressure for the irrational.
The American military, while bringing undoubted economic benefits, has abused Hawaii’s land and waters since territorial days. I have personally seen the obliteration of the island of Kaho’olawe. But base leases are expiring and we are going to be just as transactional as the Trump regime.
Hawaiʻi Gov Has Big Asks In Military Lease Renewal Talks
Money for environmental cleanup, transportation projects and housing are on the governor's wish list.
www.civilbeat.org
November 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
The American military, while bringing undoubted economic benefits, has abused Hawaii’s land and waters since territorial days. I have personally seen the obliteration of the island of Kaho’olawe. But base leases are expiring and we are going to be just as transactional as the Trump regime.
There’s a word in Hawaiian that Democrats should embrace. Every competitor in Hawai’i understands it, whether in politics, business or sports. This powerful word is “imua”. It means to advance or to go forward, with a connotation of determined strength. Democrats have momentum now. Imua!
Democrats in ‘Array’
What Tuesday’s Democratic sweep means
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:27 PM
There’s a word in Hawaiian that Democrats should embrace. Every competitor in Hawai’i understands it, whether in politics, business or sports. This powerful word is “imua”. It means to advance or to go forward, with a connotation of determined strength. Democrats have momentum now. Imua!
The Global Air Monitoring Program had outsize favorable impact for the United States, but was in DOGE’s sights because it was “environmental”. I had the good fortune to work in the 1980s on a predecessor: Taiwan’s first island-wide air pollution monitoring system.
Help the world breathe again: Restore the US global air-monitoring program
The Trump administration should resume air quality monitoring at our embassies abroad.
thehill-com.cdn.ampproject.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:11 PM
The Global Air Monitoring Program had outsize favorable impact for the United States, but was in DOGE’s sights because it was “environmental”. I had the good fortune to work in the 1980s on a predecessor: Taiwan’s first island-wide air pollution monitoring system.
It’s hard to know what the orange Führer may be aware of, but I am confident that someone has told him that Nigeria has oil reserves. Bigly.
Why is Donald Trump threatening military intervention in Nigeria?
US president’s remarks about alleged persecution of Christians seemingly in response to pressure from his evangelical base
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:44 PM
It’s hard to know what the orange Führer may be aware of, but I am confident that someone has told him that Nigeria has oil reserves. Bigly.
Forty years ago I accompanied officials from the Federated States of Micronesia on a mission to China. When we arrived in Beijing, we had to scrounge an atlas to show Chinese officials where Micronesia is. They had no idea. Things have changed.
The Pacific Islands Challenge
In America’s tug of war with China, oceanic democracy is caught in the middle.
www.foreignaffairs.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Forty years ago I accompanied officials from the Federated States of Micronesia on a mission to China. When we arrived in Beijing, we had to scrounge an atlas to show Chinese officials where Micronesia is. They had no idea. Things have changed.
It’s amazing how the orange Führer’s tariffs seem especially well targeted on MAGA communities.
Trump policies spur economic anxiety in US Republican heartland: ‘Tariffs are affecting everything’
Rural US towns reel as policies like tariffs cause global manufacturing companies to reconsider major investment projects
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:04 PM
It’s amazing how the orange Führer’s tariffs seem especially well targeted on MAGA communities.
Just how supine will the orange Führer’s six captives be?
The ghost of Ronald Reagan has spooked Trump over tariffs | Sidney Blumenthal
The president is lashing out before the supreme court’s impending decision on his absurd policy
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Just how supine will the orange Führer’s six captives be?
The Trumpistas have never understood the military’s rules or attitudes towards classified information. Nor do they credit the Foreign Service for the same rules and attitudes. They must think we all share classified info on Signal chats like they do.
Why Commanders Don’t Sign NDAs
Existing rules and laws applying to military secrecy are sufficient—and asking officers to sign NDAs is deeply inappropriate.
open.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:11 PM
The Trumpistas have never understood the military’s rules or attitudes towards classified information. Nor do they credit the Foreign Service for the same rules and attitudes. They must think we all share classified info on Signal chats like they do.
The orange toddler gets off on making his own country the world’s most unreliable negotiating partner. It will be years before the United States will be trusted again.
Trump’s unusual tariff strategy puts America’s allies in a near-impossible situation | CNN Business
President Donald Trump has made it clear that his favorite method to gain leverage over opponent countries on the other side of a negotiating table is to raise tariffs. It doesn’t matter whether the o...
flip.it
November 2, 2025 at 6:59 AM
The orange toddler gets off on making his own country the world’s most unreliable negotiating partner. It will be years before the United States will be trusted again.
Trumpian tariffs may even decide which games you play.
Trump's tariff chaos crushes board game makers: 'The U.S. is our least trustworthy trading partner'
The Supreme Court will hear a case next week challenging the legality of President Donald Trump's "emergency" tariffs.
reason.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Trumpian tariffs may even decide which games you play.
We can call off the witch hunt. We found one.
Kristi Noem denies request to halt immigration crackdown for Halloween
Illinois governor had asked for pause after border patrol agents reportedly used teargas to disrupt Halloween parade
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:51 PM
We can call off the witch hunt. We found one.
I assume the APEC leaders were greatly relieved when the orange buffoon took his toys and went home. But what was Der Führer thinking when he voluntarily gave the stage to Xi Jin Ping?
Trump no-show at big Asian economic forum may risk US reputation in region
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to skip a big Asian economic meeting this weekend risks worsening America’s reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the world’s population and more t...
apnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:47 AM
I assume the APEC leaders were greatly relieved when the orange buffoon took his toys and went home. But what was Der Führer thinking when he voluntarily gave the stage to Xi Jin Ping?
Ronald Reagan would approve.
US Senate votes to end Trump’s global tariffs on more than 100 countries
Vote passes 51-47 in latest bipartisan effort to challenge tariffs, but House is unlikely to take any similar action
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Ronald Reagan would approve.