They want to believe that the economy is not in distress, that it is not heading toward recession. It is simply on "pause." This is the term used by the economic development officials in Georgia, in the southern United States, after the chaos sown by Donald Trump with his tariffs and the economic crisis of confidence he has provoked.

"In January, you're going to need to be in the US market in April, and so companies are just waiting for certainty (...) You know, let's press pause and see what actually happens," Pat Wilson, commissioner of Georgia's Department of Economic Development, told us on April 22. Georgia has been boosted in recent years by the energy boom and foreign automotive investments. "Companies loathe uncertainty, and that's where we are right now (...) Everybody is still actively looking at sites and they're getting ready for investment," asserted Wilson. His region has been hit by Trump's protectionism, starting with Savannah, a major port on the southern Atlantic coast. "Right now, we still have 35 ships coming in a week, so it still looks very strong. April looks strong, but come May, we expect things to moderate," explained Tom Boyd, director of communications for the Georgia Ports Authority.

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