While I have no doubt that Vietnam went calling, facing devastating tariffs, the "hat in hand" bit is uproarious.

What do you think Vietnam will offer?

It has negligible tariffs on US goods. It exports a lot to the US because it has very cheap labour, because it's a poor country. It is in no position to buy more from the US. There is no universe where it's going to even remotely close that trade deficit.

So what, in your rose-coloured view, do you think they are offering up?

I mean, everyone realizes this is a hilarious cope regardless. Trump declared, with utter absolutism, that the tariffs are not going anywhere and there is no way to negotiate them. That his "ERS" would net trillions and balance the budget. But wait...now it was really a masterful negotiating strategy?

I mean, Trump could have said "here's the tariffs we have estimate based upon a current analysis", and if isn't remediated in a month we'll stagger in "reciprocal" tariffs. That isn't what he did. Instead he did the stupidest thing imaginable, which is what we see today. So yes, when he has to backtrack because it was the most catastrophic self-destruction in history, feel good that a super poor country came "hat in hand".