最新消息 Investors exhaled last weekend when Donald Trump pulled back from an escalatory tariff war with Mexico. But their relief is bound to be shortlived. Whenever the US president finds fault with another country, he reaches first for tariffs. His grievances need have nothing to do with trade: in Mexico’s case, Mr Trump was furious at the persistence of the migrant crisis on the US border. Nor does he try to link his actions to statutory cause. Mr Trump threatened Mexico under a 1977 act that authorises the president to impose penalties on America’s enemies, terrorist states and other pariahs. Mexico does not resemble any such country.

　　上周末，當唐納德?特朗普(Donald Trump)從與墨西哥開打一場關稅戰爭的懸崖邊緣后退時，投資者松了一口氣。但他們的寬慰注定是短暫的。每當美國總統想找另一個國家的茬時，他首先會祭出關稅手段。他的怨氣并不需要與貿易有任何關系：就墨西哥而言，特朗普對美國南部邊境持續面臨移民危機感到憤怒。他也沒有試圖把自己的行為與法定事由聯系起來。特朗普根據1977年的一部法律威脅墨西哥，該法授權總統對美國的敵人、恐怖主義國家和其他無賴國家施以懲罰。墨西哥不像任何這樣的國家。

　　The same applies to his serial misuse of section 232, intended to protect the US from strategic threats, to impose tariffs on America’s friends. Under no sensible assessment can Canadian metals, or European cars, be defined as a threat to US national security. Mr Trump shows every sign of continuing to abuse his powers. It is long overdue for Congress to reclaim its constitutional role on trade.

　　他接二連三地濫用旨在保護美國免受戰略威脅的第232條，對美國的朋友征收關稅，也屬于這類情況。沒有一項明智的評估會把加拿大的金屬——或者歐洲的汽車——定性為美國面臨的國家安全威脅。特朗普正在顯示出繼續濫用權力的跡象。國會早就應該恢復其在貿易方面的憲法角色。

　　To be fair to the normally acquiescent Republicans, Mr Trump’s party has led the way in opposing his Mexico belligerence. Normally loyal senators, such as Ted Cruz of Texas and Iowa’s Chuck Grassley, attacked Mr Trump’s over-reach. Others, including Utah’s Mike Lee and Pennsylvania’s Pat Toomey, are drafting a bill that would limit the president’s powers. Such a law is firmly in the US national interest.

　　應該承認，雖然共和黨人通常默許特朗普的行為，但特朗普所屬的政黨帶頭反對他對墨西哥擺出的好斗姿態。通常忠誠的參議員，如德克薩斯州的特德?克魯茲(Ted Cruz)和愛荷華州的查克?格拉斯利(Chuck Grassley)，都批評了特朗普的過分行為。其他一些人，包括猶他州的邁克?李(Mike Lee)和賓夕法尼亞州的帕特?圖米(Pat Toomey)，正在起草一項限制總統權力的法案。這樣的法律絕對符合美國的國家利益。