Does Trump's treatment of Ukraine put Taiwan at Risk?
Many of us are aware of Taiwan's strategic proximity to China, their claims over it and Taiwan's outsized economic importance especially in the semi-conductor space. Fun fact: since 1950 when Nationalists fled China and formed a democratic government in Taiwan, the U.S. has sold more than $50 billion worth of weapons to Taipei, including HIMARS rocket systems, F-16 jet fighters and dozens of advanced Abrams battle tanks. Taiwan's nuclear capability has been tamped down since the 70's. If thye have any, it's one of the best kept secrets in the world.
All of this comes into focus as Trump's foreign relations stance and potential axis building cast many traditional viewpoints into question. And it leads to the question: Is Taiwan next?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-taiwan-china-tension-amid-us-ukraine-russia-war/
Tariff Tap-Dance
In what looks to be a recurring theme, many of Trump's policies can be described as "opening bids." His staunch belief in tariffs stands as one of the major contrarian views that his economic policy is being built around. However, the short and medium term effects even lead the President to pump the brakes a bit. Is this helpful if one values certainty? Probably not. This article describes the "pause button" being deployed in our relationship with our neighbors, Canada and Mexico.
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/06/nx-s1-5320044/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada
100% Expensing Coming Back?
RSM just released this analysis of a statement in President Trump's recent State of the Union.
“As part of our tax cuts, we want to cut taxes on domestic production and all manufacturing,” Trump said. “And just as we did before, we will provide 100% expensing. It will be retroactive to Jan. 20, 2025.” Trump did not specify as to what “100% expensing” would apply, which leaves some important questions. His contextual reference to the TCJA brings to mind capital expensing. The TCJA provided for immediate 100% expensing—known as bonus depreciation—starting in 2018. Bonus depreciation began to phase out in 2023—it is 40% for 2025 and is scheduled to expire after 2026.
See more of their analysis below.
https://rsmus.com/insights/services/business-tax/retroactive-100-percent-expensing-emerges-as-trump-tax-priority.html
