US President Donald Trump has launched a global trade war, with a 20 percent tariff set to hit the European Union, including the Republic of Ireland, while only the 10 percent base rate applies to the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. The 10 percent tariff difference on the island of Ireland–the only land border between the EU and the UK–is likely to add to the headaches already caused by Brexit. And I mean political as well as economic troubles.

During my November visit to Ireland, a few days after the US elections, the Irish Times headlined “Trump victory thrusts America into the unknown.” I wrote this piece saying, “Trump’s win not not only thrusts America into the unknown, but also Ireland and the rest of Europe and the world.” Now, Trump-fueled global turmoil is being supercharged.

As it turns out, I will be traveling in Ireland over the next 10 days, with stops in Dublin, Donegal, and Kerry. I will report on how the Irish view Trump’s disruption to global trade, in addition to his gutting of US government agencies and assaults on universities, cultural institutions, private business, and other organizations and aspects of American life. Email subscribers should check the website for updates to this post, or watch for new pieces delivered to your inbox. MH