Inu Manak
@inumanak.bsky.social
Senior Fellow @piie.com; PhD, Georgetown Government. Books Editor, World Trade Review. Associate Editor, IELP blog. TBT = technical barriers to trade. RT ≠ endorsements. Views my own.
I am excited to join @piie.com, where I will continue to advance my research on U.S. trade policy alongside a leading group of experts committed to advancing global prosperity and developing practical policy solutions to contemporary economic challenges.
Peterson Institute for International Economics@piie.com · 2d agoWe're thrilled to announce @inumanak.bsky.social is joining PIIE as a senior fellow! Welcome, Inu! 🎉
I spoke with @elpais.com about the impact of DSA candidates on the 2026 election. english.elpais.com/usa/2026-07-...
The socialists gaining ground in the US as Trump invokes the specter of communism
The Republican used two major speeches marking the country’s 250th anniversary to argue that the success of candidates aligned with Mamdani poses a greater threat than the attack on Pearl Harbor
english.elpais.com
Remembering my friend, David Kleimann. He will be deeply missed. ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2026/07/reme...
Remembering David Kleimann
The trade community mourns the loss of David Kleimann, a formidable trade expert and friend. David was most recently at S-Curve Economics, but also held posts at ODI, Bruegel, and Georgetown Law, amon...
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
📅 Happening July 9! Register now for our webinar on the latest in the #USMCA review process with trade experts David Gantz, @simonlester.com, @meredithlilly.bsky.social & @inumanak.bsky.social. 🔗 bit.ly/4we622H
Looking forward to joining this discussion on "The State of Negotiations of the USMCA" organized by @BakerInstitute July 9 at 11 ET www.bakerinstitute.org/event/state-...
The State of Negotiations of the USMCA | Baker Institute
The Claudio X.
bakerinstitute.org
This is a great article by Michael Beckley, and a very valuable one for my purposes, as it presents a hard-case argument against which I can test and defend the ideas I'm developing in my book. They overlap with the Middle Power thesis but with significant differences. Here's how I do so. 🧵
The Middle Power Delusion
Not choosing is not an option.
foreignaffairs.com
Saving the global trading system is going to require some serious work. @inumanak.bsky.social has some ideas on where to start
How to Save the Global Trading System
"To remake the global trading system and update the World Trade Organization, the United States must be willing to rebuild its foundations and bring the rest of the world along," writes Inu Manak.
time.com
To save the trading system, the United States must rethink a foundational rule, and bring other countries along for the project. My latest, for @TIME time.com/article/2026...
How to Save the Global Trading System
"To remake the global trading system and update the World Trade Organization, the United States must be willing to rebuild its foundations and bring the rest of the world along," writes Inu Manak.
time.com
Sharing my lates paper with Helena Kopans-Johnson on the evolution of US industrial policy since 2017, driven largely by concerns over "economic security." Forthcoming as a book chapter. Thoughts welcome! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Modern U.S. Industrial Policy as Economic Security
<p><span>Industrial policy has returned to the United States in full force. Three administrations have implemented new policy frameworks to shape the future of
papers.ssrn.com
If Trump does not offer U.S. trading partners “a few carrots along with using sticks,” the “trust and order that the United States built through decades of careful trade compromises will quickly run out,” warn @inumanak.bsky.social and Allison Smith.
The Illusion of Reciprocity
Trump’s self-defeating trade policy.
foreignaffairs.com
We’ve read all of Trump’s trade deals, and spoke to U.S. trading partners. Here’s what we’ve learned—> www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state... via @foreignaffairs.com
The Illusion of Reciprocity
Trump’s self-defeating trade policy.
foreignaffairs.com
Not just rule of law, but also approaching trade as mutually productive rather than a self serving pursuit. But Americans are losing patience with this White House & as she wrote, "After significant usage (of 301) in the 1980s, .. results .. did not live up to the hopes of the law’s drafters".
Inu Manak@inumanak.bsky.social · 3mo agoWith Section 301 investigations under way, the big question is not what this means for tariffs, but rather, what it means for the rule of law in trade. My latest for the FT: www.ft.com/content/2f56...
"In other words, when it comes to settling disputes, the USTR could play the role of judge, jury and executioner." In one line Inu captures the most significant and telling line underscoring the growth of 'America first' governance. I cannot see how it won't cloud even modest USMCA review outcomes.
Inu Manak@inumanak.bsky.social · 3mo agoWith Section 301 investigations under way, the big question is not what this means for tariffs, but rather, what it means for the rule of law in trade. My latest for the FT: www.ft.com/content/2f56...
The Trump administration has made clear that its Section 301 investigations will lead to tariffs that replace the IEEPA tariffs. It will be interesting to see what the courts think of that approach to using Section 301.
Inu Manak@inumanak.bsky.social · 3mo agoWith Section 301 investigations under way, the big question is not what this means for tariffs, but rather, what it means for the rule of law in trade. My latest for the FT: www.ft.com/content/2f56...
With Section 301 investigations under way, the big question is not what this means for tariffs, but rather, what it means for the rule of law in trade. My latest for the FT: www.ft.com/content/2f56...
Can US trading partners still rely on the rule of law?
When it comes to settling trade disputes, the Trump administration wants to play judge, jury and executioner
ft.com
New IELP post from @inumanak.bsky.social and Milan Chander: "USTR's 301 investigation on excess capacity reflects its muddled view on the issue, made clear by the lack of a clear definition of the problem itself."
WorldTradeLaw.net@worldtradelaw.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe Section 301 Excess Capacity Investigation Needs Less Madness, More Method
Mark Carney’s tour of the Indo-Pacific this week is a rousing show of defiance, but it may have unintended effects. foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/03/m...
A Middle Powers Club Would Make the World More Dangerous
Mark Carney’s tour of the Indo-Pacific this week is a rousing show of defiance, but it may have unintended effects.
foreignpolicy.com
Check out our updated tracker: -What the IEEPA tariffs going away means for the deals -Indonesia framework -Beef quota implementation for Argentina www.cfr.org/articles/tra...
Tracking Trump’s Trade Deals | Council on Foreign Relations
The president has set out to rewrite the rules of trade, one deal at a time.
cfr.org
We should be talking more about the fact the president of the world’s largest economy just declared it’s facing a payments crisis. Once, that would have caused turmoil in financial markets. Now it’s just another reason for tariffs. My latest for @bloomberg.com: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Trump Pegs New Tariffs to a Payments Crisis That Experts Doubt Exists
With his move to impose new global tariffs, US President Donald Trump isn’t just trying to repair a trade policy dismantled by a Supreme Court rebuke. He’s also declaring the world’s largest economy i...
bloomberg.com
Depressingly comprehensive look at his post-SCOTUS options. But: “…a plurality of Americans think that the president should not be allowed to impose tariffs without congressional approval, and support some guardrails on the president’s tariff authority.”
Inu Manak@inumanak.bsky.social · 6mo agoThe Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are unconstitutional. The president was quick to respond. Here’s what that means: www.cfr.org/articles/how...
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are unconstitutional. The president was quick to respond. Here’s what that means: www.cfr.org/articles/how...
How Trump’s Tariffs Could Survive the Supreme Court Ruling | Council on Foreign Relations
The Supreme Court has ruled against Trump’s use of tariffs, but the president has other methods and authorities available to him that could keep his trade agenda alive.
cfr.org
Out today--> CFR-Morning Consult survey on what Americans really think about trade and tariffs: -Americans understand what tariffs are, and their costs -They prefer cooperation over confrontation -They support some guardrails on executive tariff action www.cfr.org/articles/wha...
What Americans Really Think About Trade and Tariffs | Council on Foreign Relations
Trade is seen as mutually beneficial, but Americans’ views on tariffs are largely shaped by partisanship.
cfr.org
👨🎓Alex Kiwara Irungu had little experience in international trade law when he entered the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition. What helped him level the playing field? The free trade law e-casebook. Read Alex’s account and learn how the trade law e-casebook supported his journey (link below).
"American households would feel better about the cost of living if tariffs were lowered as part of the affordability policy agenda," write Rebecca Patterson, Allison J. Smith, and Ishaan Thakker about the findings from a new poll from CFR.
CFR Poll Shows Americans Across Party Lines Tie Tariffs to Affordability | Council on Foreign Relations
Lowering tariffs could be an effective way for the Trump administration to address voters’ cost-of-living concerns, even if actual price trends reflect a more complex set of drivers.
cfr.org
Tariffs announced with fanfare and might, Allies confused—is it left turn or right? Consequences mount as the prices all soar, Oops, never mind—let's try something more! #TradeValentines
"An Illinois supplier of nuts, bolts and screws could be all that keeps President Donald Trump's national security tariffs from escalating into a torrent of government overreach," write Scott Lincicome and CFR expert @inumanak.bsky.social for the Washington Post.
Opinion | How a supplier of nuts and bolts could curb Trump’s tariff overreach
A new lawsuit reveals how businesses are forced to navigate an opaque and arbitrary system.
washingtonpost.com
