Trump’s Tariff Spree Comes With Big Electoral Risks
Voters welcomed the first wave of levies against China, but they’ve been wary of everything since.
President Trump’s fondness for weaponizing tariffs is no secret. But as his list of targets expands beyond China to include allies such as Mexico and Australia, Trump not only jeopardizes the health of the U.S. economy, he risks undermining his own political standing, too.
A new report from Goldman Sachs shows that, while Trump may not distinguish friend from foe, U.S. voters certainly do. Last week, ignoring the counsel of his own advisers, Trump vowed to slap an escalating series of tariffs on Mexican goods if its government doesn’t cut off the flow of migrants from Central America heading to the U.S. border. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Trump also considered putting levies on Australian aluminum, but was dissuaded. While Trump’s tough line against China does draw some support, the Goldman report shows that significantly more voters disapprove of the tariffs the president has applied—or threatened to apply—on imports from friendly nations.