Trump tariffs will test crisis leadership skills

President Donald Trump’s announcement, abeyance and (in the case of China) escalation of tariffs has thrown markets into turmoil, creating levels of uncertainty approaching those produced by Covid-19 and even threatening the bond market. Yet in the days since the administration declared a 90-day pause on many of the duties, markets appear to have stabilised.

This surface calm risks luring leaders into perhaps the biggest mistake one can make when navigating a crisis: failing to update your mental models to properly account for the new world you’re now living in.

Join ST’s Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.