Explore a counterfactual world in which the trade war ends abruptly, setting off a cascade of economic renewal.

Imagine a parallel universe where, with the stroke of a pen, President Trump declares an end to the ill-conceived trade war that, while it intensified sharply in April 2025, started in 2017. Not only are the existing duties on steel, aluminum, semiconductors, consumer goods, and countless other imports rescinded, but the administration also explicitly disavows the threat of future tariffs. In an instant, a fog of uncertainty that hangs over the US economy for years vanishes. For thousands of businesses — from family-owned manufacturers in the Midwest to sprawling multinationals with global supply chains — the abrupt shift is transformative.

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