Editorial Board
Trump’s Beautiful Tariffs Would Hurt Red States Most
In the end, the costs of protectionism are widely shared — but the main victims are the people Trump is purporting to champion.
Be careful what you wish for.
Photographer: Christian Monterrosa/AFP/Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump has made raising tariffs the centerpiece of his campaign for reelection. “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is ‘tariff,’” he told Bloomberg’s editor-in-chief at a recent event. Exactly what he intends, should he win a second term, is unclear as always. But his determination to disrupt US trade policy can’t be doubted.
One consequence of this promised crackdown on imports deserves closer attention. The costs would fall disproportionately on workers and consumers in Trump-supporting states.