Donald Trump’s tariff wars brutally mocked as famous Ferris Bueller's Day Off clip goes viral

Donald Trump's latest tariffs have been brutally mocked as a famous clip from Ferris Bueller's Day Off has now gone viral.

Earlier this week, Trump imposed new tariffs on the likes of Canada, China and Mexico - a move which has sparked major concern of a global trade war and higher prices.

And now, one scene from the hit coming-of-age comedy-drama which graced our screens and warmed our hearts way back in 1986 is now making the rounds on social media once again which seemingly directly responds to the controversial tariffs.

What do Trump's latest tariffs mean?

For context, US tariffs of 25 percent have now come into force against goods hailing from both Canada and Mexico - both countries of which are the US' two biggest trading partners - while a 20 percent tariff on Chinese goods has now been announced, which is doubling the levy on China from last month.

So, for example, imposing a 20 percent tariff on Chinese goods means that a product worth $10 would have an additional $2 charge applied to it.

Explaining his reasoning behind the move, the 78-year-old Republican stated that higher tariffs on US imports from across the globe will help 'make America great again' by enabling the country to gain political and economic concessions from allies and rivals on the world stage.

Donald Trump has imposed new tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico (Andrew Harnik / Staff / Getty Images)

The White House said Trump was 'taking bold action to hold [the three countries] accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country'.

He claimed such tariffs will increase prices on foreign goods to make domestic goods more appealing to domestic consumers.

China, Mexico and Canada have all vowed to hit back with retaliatory tariffs, while Trump recently expanded the goods exempted from the tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

So, what's all this got to do with Ferris Bueller?

A clip from Ferris Bueller's Day Off is now going viral following the move (Paramount)

Well, fans of the cult-classic flick will no doubt remember one scene where high school economics teacher, played by Ben Stein, teaches his class all about the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.

The bill, which was signed nearly a century ago in 1930 by President Herbert Hoover, worked by increasing tariffs on imported goods - a law which is now being compared to Trump’s latest tariffs.

In the scene the teacher says: "In 1930, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the… Anyone? Anyone?"

After getting no reply from his group of clearly disenfranchised students, the teacher answers: "Great Depression."

He continues: "Passed the... Anyone? Anyone? The tariff bill. The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act. Which... Anyone? Raised or lower? Raised tariffs in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal government.

"Did it work? Anyone? Anyone know the effects? It did not work, and the United States sank deeper into the Great Depression."

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was 'among the most catastrophic acts in congressional history', according to the US Senate website.

After catching light of the clip, people couldn't wait to share their reactions to the alleged parallels on social media with one X user writing: "Ferris Bueller is strikingly more instructive than 99.99% of political commentators on tariffs."

"Apparently it is once again time to bring back the lesson on tariffs from Ferris Bueller..." penned a second.

A third chimed in: "Ferris Bueller's econ lesson is a classic, still relevant today."