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The Logoff is a newsletter written by senior politics, policy and ideas editor Patrick Reis. He has been covering Trump since 2015 at Vox, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post and elsewhere.

The Trump trap (and how it got me)

Welcome to the Logoff. When I started this newsletter, my biggest piece of advice about understanding the Trump administration was “have patience.” This week, on Trump’s tariffs, I broke my own rule — and I’m paying for it.

On Tuesday, I told you about the tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada, Yesterday, I noted that the walkback had begun, And today, I am sheepishly informing you that Trump announced that the tariffs on most products from Mexico and Canada would be delayed until April (at least). We’re (more or less) back where we started: Trump is threatening big tariffs will come “soon,” and we’re all waiting to see if he’s serious.

So what did you learn? That “have even more patience” is key, because without it, we risk getting caught up in Trump's theatrics. Indeed, there were other Trump developments today, but we’re going to (patiently) wait to see what goes from rhetoric to reality. So...

And with that, it's time to log off...

There’s a lot of great internet, and when we’re intentional about finding it, going online can be an enriching experience. But if we let the internet dominate us, it’s just a time-suck, one that prevents us from spending real time with the people we love or doing activities we enjoy. Our phones are part of that trap: They can be useful, but they’re also built to steal our attention. And that’s why I was so excited about this piece from my colleague Adam Clark Estes. It’s specifically about how to make your phone a tool you control, rather than one that controls you. I found it really useful and hope you do too.

Thanks for reading, and see you back here tomorrow.

📲 Have questions for Patrick Reis? Send him an email at patrick.reis@vox.com.

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