With two simple social media posts announcing new, crushing tariffs, Donald Trump sent auto stocks tumbling, angered his allies and sent shivers down the spines of governments around the world.

This style of communication, a hallmark of the Republican billionaire, heralds a new term in which the pace will be set by shock announcements at any time and on any topic.

At 18.45 on Monday, first post on Truth Social, Trump’s property network.

The president-elect announces that he will impose tariffs of 25% “on all products” coming from Canada and Mexico, since his first day in office.

It does not matter that these two countries have signed a free trade agreement with the US.

The tariffs “will remain in place until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop invading our country,” Trump threatened, sparking panic in Ottawa and Mexico.

A few seconds later, new post. This time for China, on which he will increase tariffs by 10%.

The consequences of these posts are immediate: the stock of the carmaker Stellantis falls, Canada, China and Mexico protest. Berlin is calling on Europe to “prepare” because it will be the next target.

This turmoil is strongly reminiscent of the days of Donald Trump’s first term when journalists, businessmen, politicians and diplomats they were watching the “tweets” incessantly of the president – ​​sometimes he wrote them early in the morning, sometimes very late at night. And they were about almost everything.

When he was diagnosed positive for Covid-19, in October 2020, Trump announced it by posting on the then Twitter (now X), at 1 in the morning. Like the assassination of an Iranian general, when he posted only an American flag as a sign of confirmation.

The imposition of tariffs, the dismissal of members of his government… Even then the announcements were made by posting, which is contrary to the practice followed by all other American governments and most foreign countries, all over the world.

Trump”sees social networking sites as a tool to shape and direct public debate“, political scientist Julian Zelizer explained to AFP. “And he will continue to use them that way,” said the Princeton University professor.

In his campaign for the White House and in each of his legal adventures Donald Trump made his announcements on Truth Social, the platform he founded and prefers. In recent days, he even “appointed” the future ministers of Justice and Health with posts on this network.