Trump Tariffs

Long before globalization, the U.S. relied on tariffs as a core instrument of statecraft. From Hamilton’s tariffs of the 1790s to the protectionist walls of 1861–1933, they now re-emerged under Trump’s second presidency as a tool of dominance against friends and foes alike. As the world is pulled into another trade war, one question remains central: whether tariffs help America more than they hurt it.