Joking about Trump’s frenetic rollout of tariffs has become a common response to the altogether serious issue of an economic fight started by the president that has upended markets, led to boycotts of American-made goods and travel to the U.S., and sparked fears of a recession.

While President Donald Trump promises his tariffs will be a net positive for the United States in the long run, his arguments for them in recent days have caused widespread blowback and could become a feature of Democratic attack ads in the midterm elections.

The trade policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly his strategy of imposing tariffs on imported goods, are significantly impacting the global economy.