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Simon Lester

@simonlester.com

6.7K followers 710 following 6.4K posts

Founded WorldTradeLaw.net & ChinaTradeMonitor.com Non-Resident Fellow @bakerinstitute.bsky.social Formerly @wto.org @cato.org Trade Policy feed: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xqzu2eazvxb5fohoc4nap33y/feed/aaab5ctu4u4fc .. more

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Political science 43%

Economics 28%

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · Apr 3

I see lots of new followers popping up today. I assume you are here for the trade policy, in which case you might like my custom trade policy feed: bsky.app/profile/did:...

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 7h

Chase Utley would have been hit twice by that pitch.

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Reposted by Simon Lester

David Schneiderman @dschneiderman.bsky.social · 8h

Montesquieu well understood, in 1748, that tariffs ultimately are ‘paid by the buyers.’ Trump and his advisors would be well advised to spend some time with the ‘Spirit of the Laws.’

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 8h

NEW

Former Vice-President Kamala Harris’ statement on the ceasefire deal.

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Reposted by Simon Lester, David Darmofal

Kamala Harris @kamalaharris.com · 8h

My statement on the ceasefire in the Middle East.

Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris
October 13, 2025

I am thankful and deeply encouraged that this ceasefire has brought long-awaited moments of joy and reunion — as 20 Israeli hostages are finally reunited with their loved ones and Palestinian families and the people of Gaza begin to receive desperately needed relief from unimaginable suffering.

Through diplomacy and persistence, today is an important first step toward a more hopeful future. I commend the leaders and partners whose efforts made this agreement possible, including the President and his team.

There is still much more work to do to secure a lasting peace, ensure the safety and dignity of every innocent life, and build a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in freedom and security.

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 9h

Also, Dodgers apparently taking base running lessons from the Phillies.

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Tim Bale, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 8 more Lisa W. Fazio, Tim Bale, Rosemary A. Joyce, Efrén O. Pérez, Daniel W. Drezner, Aaron Sojourner, Caroline Fohlin, Michael D. McDonald, Dean Eckles, Simon Lester, David Darmofal

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 9h

What if the unidentified masked men with guns don't accept the validity of your papers?

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Reposted by American Library Association, Daniel W. Drezner, Simon Lester

CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 9h

what in the hell just happened in Milwaukee

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 10h

I loved the 1982 Brewers -- Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Cecil Cooper, and more! -- and I'm rooting for them to win their first World Series.

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 10h

Yellow towel time in Milwaukee!

Let's get this started
#NLCS

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 10h

Yellow towel time in Milwaukee!

Let's get this started
#NLCS

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 12h

Kudos to the Fox Sports producers for playing some Rush when going to commercial, here on Canadian thanksgiving and in a game involving the Blue Jays.

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Boo!-per Lund @cooperlund.online · 13h

Did you know? Canadian Christmas is on the last Thursday of November

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 14h

This is all due to the influence of Big Almond Butter.

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 15h

My guess is that there will be a negotiated solution, followed by flare ups and cool downs every two months or so for the next 3+ years.

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 15h

There's probably enough material for media outlets to be doing front page stories just about every day on foreign government efforts to influence Trump through deals involving his family business. Not sure why the media isn't doing more with this.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

Trump's conversation with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is caught on a hot mic. Hard to tell exactly what they are talking about, but Subianto asks Trump about meeting Eric Trump and Don Jr, who supposedly have nothing to do with government while they run the family business.

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 15h

PSA: It’s okay to be wait-and-see on Gaza and the Israel-Hamas deal. You don’t have to definitively declare what’s going to happen and comment on that, nor take any national leader’s word on what they expect.

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Reposted by Henry Jones, Simon Lester

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

"Most Americans probably don’t have a detailed grasp of what’s happening with ACA subsidies right now, but once people start getting letters notifying them of how much their premiums are going up, it will become a much bigger issue."

Republicans are completely full of it on healthcare

And it becomes more obvious every time they talk about it.

www.publicnotice.co

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Reposted by David Rothschild, David R. Miller, Simon Lester , and 2 more David Rothschild, David R. Miller, Simon Lester, Nathan P. Kalmoe, David Darmofal

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 16h

Unprecedented corruption

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Tom Pepinsky @tompepinsky.com · 16h

Here is Prabowo Subianto asking Donald Trump if he can meet Don and Eric. Then they’ll talk about “Harry,” which is almost certainly a reference to Hary Tanoe: this guy.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hary_Ta...

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Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott , and 5 more Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott, Daniel W. Drezner, David R. Miller, Bessma Momani, Henry Jones, Simon Lester

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 21h

(But yes, I see your point)

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 21h

I feel like he might just stare blankly in total incomprehension!

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 21h

In addition to everything else wrong here, he says "begs the question" when he means "raises the question." (Yes, I know it's a losing battle, but it's a hill I will die on.)

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 22h

Sean Duffy: "The No Kings protest, Maria, really frustrating. This is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question who's funding it."

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Reposted by Simon Lester

WorldTradeLaw.net @worldtradelaw.bsky.social · 22h

Guest Post: Too Big To Fail: The EU Steel Industry, Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 and the EU’s Free Trade Agreements

This is a guest post by trade lawyer Victor Crochet and law professor Weihuan Zhou Steel has long been a contentious topic in international trade, in part because of the numerous jobs it creates and its relevance to downstream industries including those related to national defense. In the European Union

dlvr.it

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild, David S. Cohen , and 10 more Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild, David S. Cohen, David R. Miller, Adrian Daub, Jacob T. Levy, Scott A. Imberman, James Goodwin, Dana R. Fisher, Henry Jones, Simon Lester, Stella M. Rouse, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 22h

Sean Duffy: "The No Kings protest, Maria, really frustrating. This is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question who's funding it."

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Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 22h

Are the proposed EU TRQs on steel legal under WTO/FTA rules? In a new IELP blog post, trade lawyer Victor Crochet and law prof Weihuan Zhou run through some of the main issues:

"Too Big To Fail: The EU Steel Industry, Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 and the EU’s Free Trade Agreements"

Guest Post: Too Big To Fail: The EU Steel Industry, Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 and the EU’s Free Trade Agreements

ielp.worldtradelaw.net

Reposted by Bonnie Honig, Simon Lester

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 22h

John Oliver is good at his job

youtu.be/gieTx_P6INQ?...

Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

youtu.be

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Reposted by James Scott, Simon Lester

Abe Newman @abenewman.bsky.social · 22h

1/ Who are the globalists? Right wing, Christian group from US seeks to transform UK politics. The latest in a string of transnational moves by the far right to shift the global political debate. Welcome to the nationalist international.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

They Helped Topple Roe v. Wade. Now Their Sights Are Set on Britain.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Matt Peterson @mattpeterson.bsky.social · 23h

Trump en route to Israel said new +100% China tariffs are still planned for Nov. 1. "Let’s see what happens. For me, you know what Nov. 1 is? An eternity. For somebody else, it’s right around the corner. For me, when I hear Nov. 1, it’s an eternity.”

(Market will hear TACO)

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Reposted by Iikka Korhonen, Simon Lester

Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 1d

New Chinese Sept trade data out this morning - here's the picture for the EU

- China's exports to EU up 14.2%
- China's imports from EU up 9.4%
- Despite rebound in import number, trade surplus up 20% because of China's surging exports, to $22.85bn in Sept

All USD, year on year

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Reposted by Simon Lester

Steven Chase @stevenchase.bsky.social · 1d

Anand heads to China as Carney attempts a rapprochement with Beijing

www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...

Anand heads to China as Carney attempts a rapprochement with Beijing

Ottawa is seeking to expand export markets outside of Donald Trump’s increasingly protectionist U.S.

www.theglobeandmail.com

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