Trump’s Worst Economic Idea
Tariffs on cars and parts would cause great damage and do no good. Congress should intervene.
Not exactly a threat.
Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg
Evidently, President Donald Trump is still toying with the idea of imposing steep tariffs on cars and automotive parts. In a White House brimming with bad economic ideas, this would be the worst one yet.
Last month, the Commerce Department completed a confidential report on the national-security implications of auto imports. If the probe uncovered a threat of some kind, real or imagined, the president would have wide latitude under the law to restrict or limit imports in response. Trump has mused about imposing duties of 25 percent to induce the European Union to make trade concessions. Europe has to “play ball,” he’s said, or “we’re going to tariff the hell out of you.”