Who Actually Paid for the Trade War? | Diving In
Summary
Justin Wolfers grades the Trump administration’s tariff agenda on five promises: leverage, trade deficit reduction, factory repatriation, security, and revenue. He concludes all five failed, citing increased deficits, job losses, exposed supply chain vulnerabilities, and refunded unconstitutional tariffs. Wolfers argues the policy disrupted global cooperation without delivering the promised economic benefits.
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Introduction: Grading the Trump tariff agenda on 5 promises
Test 1: Leverage and trade deals (Fail)
Test 2: Reducing the trade deficit (Fail)
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Test 3: Bringing factories home (Fail)
Test 4: National security and supply chains (Fail)
Test 5: Revenue and funding tax cuts (Fail)
Conclusion: Trade is cooperation, not conflict
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