Outrage as leaked documents link Trump's tariffs to national security goals and corporate interests

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s tariff policy was promoted as a way to fix the United States’ trade deficits.

But leaked internal government documents indicate the plan went far beyond trade, as it revolves around national security goals, corporate interests, and diplomatic leverage with allies.

Leaked documents link Chevron and Elon Musk’s Starlink to trade negotiations

The documents obtained by The Washington Post outline “supplemental negotiating objectives” that connected Donald Trump's tariffs to foreign policy and specific business gains.

According to the report, some objectives sought to use tariffs to push foreign governments into giving favorable terms to companies such as oil giant Chevron and Elon Musk’s Starlink.

“This is the first time I’ve seen that type of request in a trade agreement,” Wendy Cutler, a former American diplomat and negotiator with the Office of the US Trade Representative, told the publication. 

“When you’re sitting at the negotiating table, you’re not talking about this stuff,” she told The Washington Post.

Documents on tariff negotiations sent 'shockwaves through government'

One section described plans to pressure Lesotho, under threat of a 50% tariff rate, into giving renewable energy company OnePower a five-year withholding tax exemption for an energy grid project.

Other objectives reportedly included convincing countries near China to deepen military ties with the US, negotiating over US military bases abroad, and urging India to stop buying Russian oil.

A State Department employee who saw the documents told the publication, “The document sent shock waves through the government. This isn’t normally how it works.”

The leaked documents also highlighted goals to counter Chinese influence, such as pressuring Cambodia to block Chinese military deployments near the Ream Naval Base and pushing Israel to “remove Chinese port ownership”  in the country’s port city of Haifa.

Internet reacts as leaked documents reveal Donald Trump’s hidden agenda behind tariffs

Internet users largely criticized Donald Trump for the tariff goals, though some supported the move and others questioned the authenticity of the report.

“I really hope this isn’t true,” wrote one person on X. Another countered, “Yeah… isn’t that the entire point of the tariffs? Lmao.”

Others expressed concern. “If true, that’s less ‘America First’ and more ‘Friends First,’” said one. A person expressed, “Looks like those tariffs were more about helping friends than the country.”

Some supported the approach, with one saying, “Good. Need to align for interests in peaceful way.”

Another said, “He’s been pretty open about using tariffs to advance the US’s security goals.” One more wrote, “Desperate times call for drastic measures. MAGA.”

Critics were blunt. “This is the definition of corruption!” declared one. Another argued, “Sorry. Might be an agreeable outcome, but purely accidental in pursuit of greed or Russian assets would have surely advised against it.”

“Trump is a criminal, who doesn’t know that? Whatever he does is for him and his rich billionaires. Not for the American people,” a tweet read. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.