Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party (UNP), MP Ravi Karunanayake, has criticized former US President Donald Trump’s approach to international trade, particularly his decision to impose tariffs on both developed and developing nations.
Karunanayake said that Trump’s blanket tariff policy turned him into an “aimless actor” on the global stage, leading to a decline in the number of allies the United States could count on.
“Instead of targeting only those countries with which the US had disputes, Trump chose to impose tariffs indiscriminately,” Karunanayake stated. “If he was a true leader, he would have given developing countries a fair chance.”
The MP further emphasized that, rather than engaging diplomatically with nations holding opposing views, Trump often chose confrontation, which isolated the US from much of the international community.
“He had the opportunity to negotiate and resolve trade issues selectively. Instead, he attacked the entire world,” Karunanayake remarked.
