WSJ Board: Trump’s Steel Tariffs Repeat 2018 “Blunder”

From the Wall Street Journal editorial board:

President Trump gave the economy another jolt of uncertainty on Monday when he signed executive orders imposing 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. His advisers say these tariffs are economically “strategic” rather than a bargaining chip for some other goal.

Is the strategy to harm U.S. manufacturers and workers? That’s what his first-term tariffs did, and it’s worth revisiting the damage of that blunder as he threatens to repeat it.

In March 2018, Mr. Trump announced 25% tariffs on steel and 10% on aluminum under the pretext of protecting national security. Then, as now, most U.S. metal imports came from allies including Canada, Mexico, Europe, South Korea and Japan. His first-term levies hurt consumers and U.S. manufacturers.

Read the full article.

The Truth About Trump’s Steel Tariffs

His first-term levies hurt consumers and U.S. manufacturers
www.wsj.com/opinion/dona…

[image or embed]

— Timothy McBride (@mcbridetd.bsky.social) February 11, 2025 at 7:05 AM