I'm pretty sure you are right about who is winning the trade war, and that it's mostly bluster in terms of pre-election rants.

From my own perspective, having endured life in both a once-upon -a-time democracy, and spending a chunk of it in a non -democracy where you are not even offered a vote or the right to criticism, I feel I can see where this all goes.

Basically, as you say, 'western' reliance is a legacy hegemony with the linch-pin being SWIFT and that's not going to have much effect going forward. But, I suppose that's where a change in leadership might be able to come to terms with the world's manufacturing base undercutting every other nation, try to mitigate through self-reliance by re-examining supplychain vulnerability, some of that really should be achievable, much of it depends on energy security, where we are now.

I agree tarrifs from one economy alone is not going to do much but it's probably an effective message to send in an economic war, if emulated (expanded further). If other nations wanted to regain some competitive part of global trade, say India, it would be beneficial not just to the US.

Would you rather sit back and aquiesce to policy that benefits a political class. A future with less sovereignty for the individual and communities. Homogenization of a nations ideas, slavery for the masses, riches for the few.

Elon Musk is irrelevant but also harmless.. we don't need Brits running over to Kamala and her corrupt lackies, asking to shut him down.