What is Trump gaining from protectionism?
An analysis of economic and financial trends in the United States since Donald Trump's election as president shows that protectionism is proving to be negative for the United States: It is leading other currencies to depreciate, i.e. to an appreciation of the dollar, which is the opposite of what Trump wants; It is driving down share prices, which is very dangerous in the United States given the extent of the equity wealth effect; It is driving down US exports, probably due to retaliatory measures adopted by other countries.