‘They’re ripping us off’: Trump’s long-standing grievance driving his risky tariffs

For decades, Donald Trump has used a signature phrase to show his contempt for countries he says cheat and take advantage of the U.S.: “They’re ripping us off.”

He used those very words again Wednesday as he capped off his long-standing personal grievance by announcing sweeping tariffs in the Rose Garden.

From trade deals to NATO security procedures, Trump has claimed that the U.S. has been given less return value, resources and, ultimately, respect for the amount of money, political will power and other resources that America has given the world.

While Trump’s rhetoric has gone well beyond the norms of traditional international diplomacy, his views have been shared by other U.S. leaders for a long time, according to Paul Poast, an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Chicago.

“He’s saying the quiet part out loud,” Poast told ABC News. “You can go all the way back to [President Harry] Truman, where U.S. leaders have made that comment, that the U.S. has been doing more than its fair share. He’s just using an extreme version of a complaint made.”

While Trump’s unprecedented approach has made headlines and seen pushback from world leaders from allies, including Canada and Mexico, the two nations he’s previously targeted with tariffs, Poast said it was too early to tell if the continued tough talk will affect international relations but he noted the rest of the world is taking notice.

US being ‘laughed at’

Trump has long blasted other countries for what he claimed are unfair practices toward the U.S. and its businesses. In 1987, he took out full-page ads in the New York Times, Washington Post and other major newspapers arguing that the U.S. needed to scale back its support of Japan at a time when that country’s economy was dominating Americas.

“Let’s not let our great country be laughed at anymore,” he wrote.

Two years later, Trump continued his criticism of Japan along with Saudi Arabia and West Germany in an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer where he argued for taxes and tariffs.

“America is being ripped off. And I’ll tell you what. We’re not going to have an America in 10 years if it keeps going like this. We’re a debtor nation, and we have to tax, we have to tariff, we have to protect this country. And nobody’s doing it,” he said.

The phrase would be repeated for years and amplified on the 2016 campaign trail, during his first term, his first and second reelection campaigns and now in his current term.

[“With] great consistency, actually, because I’ve been talking about it for 40 years, but because I saw what was happening 40 years ago,” the president said Wednesday during his tariff announcement.

Poast said that Trump’s grievance is derived from the perceived value of their exports versus imports, which he said can be oversimplified.

To the average American, seeing more foreign-based products versus U.S. made goods gives an appearance that there is an imbalance, but when it comes to foreign relations and the economy — the impact is more nuanced, he said.

“The U.S. trade policies always included limited import, and we are getting a lot from other countries economically,” Poast said.

Regarding the intangible benefits to support such as the economic aid, the military, assistance and political backing, the arguments about being “ripped off” get more obtuse, according to Poast.

“I think during the Cold War it was easier to convince people to spend it. You had a key figure you’re trying to stop Russia from winning and spreading communism,” Poast said. “Now it’s much harder to have that argument because of how divided we are.”

In many cases, trade deals and agreements also have come with benefits to the U.S. such as military bases, reduced rents for U.S.-based offices and other reimbursements, he added.

Nonetheless, Poast said that U.S. presidents of all political backgrounds have pushed allies to do more when it comes to trade and support, and many times come up short of their negotiations.

“The big difference is that Trump gets angry and starts name calling, whereas someone like [President Barack] Obama would be like ‘I’m not mad, I’m disappointed,'” Poast said.

Trump’s rhetoric during his first term did appear to make strides with one nation: Japan.

Then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was well-versed with Trump’s war of words toward his country, curried favor with the president shortly after he won the 2016 election.

“He was like, ‘I need to show Trump the value of cooperating with Japan and I need to convince him that we are important,'” Poast said of Abe. “And it worked to the point where Trump came around and invited him to the White House, and Trump visited him in Japan and they had a strong partnership.”

Trump mentioned his dealings with Abe in his Rose Garden unveiling.

“They all understand they’re ripping us off,” he said.

“Shinzo Abe, he was a fantastic man … I went to him and I said, ‘Shinzo, we have to do something’ — trade is not fair.’ He said, ‘I know that. I know that,'” Trump said Abe responded.

Countries such as France, Germany and China have not been as flattering to Trump compared to Japan during his administrations in the public eye, but they have continued to negotiate trade and foreign policy plans, but rarely gave Trump everything he wanted.

“When it comes to his demands, this is the question always ask for Trump. What extent is he making demands and trying to be a deal maker?” Poast said. “It’s the idea that you come out with the outrageous idea and then negotiate down.”

Trump’s second term, however, has seen the president push through with his proposals, including the worldwide tariffs and increased calls for the takeover of Greenland, Canada and Panama.

The talk has resulted in more verbal pushback from world leaders calling out Trump for his rhetoric.

“We have to accept that the U.S. is not the single global power anymore, and other countries are now adjusting,” Poast said.

Poast said it doesn’t know if Trump’s tactics will set a new norm for international relations but did note that the political polarization of the international community and the magnified scope of the world stage has shifted the conversations and visible tensions.

“I think any adjustment that does happen will be less with Trump and his rhetoric but the changing power structure in the world system. We are living a world that is more multi-polar and we will see more shifts. Trump did not create that he may be more of a product of that and make light of that,” he said.