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‘We can always go back’: Trump’s former trade chief believes America could recover from failed tariffs

Economic policies can’t be implemented as if they ran with an on-and-off switch, but President Trump’s former trade chief believes that America could simply bounce back if Trump’s economic policy fails.

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Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s former trade chief, described China as an existential threat against the United States. He believes that the only way to combat China’s rise is to have a strong army and economy. Lighthizer, now an unofficial advisor to Trump, strongly advocates for tariffs. The only way he sees the scales of trade balanced is by imposing tariffs. He cites encroaching on technological patents and allegations of espionage as reasons to impose hefty tariffs against China.

Scott Pelley, the host of 60 Minutes, asked Lighthizer a crucial question about these tariffs. “What are the chances that you’re wrong?” That tariffs and a call to minimize trade, in this case, don’t provide long-term growth for the country. Even Lighthizer was uncertain, but he didn’t seem too concerned about the consequences, stating: “If we do this in ten years and it doesn’t work, we can go back and always fail again the way we have in the past.”

That said, there seems to be a historical acknowledgment of tariffs failing in the past. Lighthizer suggests decoupling from China and steep tariffs, as if it wouldn’t alienate other United States allies in the process.

What can be learned from The Great Depression

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 worsened the Great Depression. It imposed an additional 20% import duty on foreign products and manufactured items to protect local industries and agriculture. This move reduced global trade and resulted in retaliatory tariffs from 25 different countries. The act was, needless to say, deemed disastrous. President Roosevelt began reducing the tariffs during his term. So, essentially, isolationism isn’t a viable solution.

Trump framed tariffs as a tax paid for by other countries rather than an additional duty passed off to consumers. Those who voted for him believed that the president could increase jobs for American citizens and protect businesses. Nevertheless, the key difference here is that the president is only targeting China, Canada, and Mexico.

In the process of alienating these trading partners, corporations will still have to pass the tax on to consumers. Big tech as a whole, as well as manufacturers, will take a hit from the tariffs and may need to lay off workers to cut costs. Small and medium enterprises will struggle with additional costs from goods they will need to import. Perhaps Lighthizer is correct—the United States can try and fail. But should Trump’s economic approach fail, the hefty price will be paid for by the average American.


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Vanessa Esguerra
Vanessa Esguerra (She/They) has been a Contributing Writer for The Mary Sue since 2023. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy, she (happily) rejected law school in 2021 and has been a full-time content writer since. Vanessa is currently taking her Master's degree in Japanese Studies in hopes of deepening her understanding of the country's media culture in relation to pop culture, women, and queer people like herself. She speaks three languages but still manages to get lost in the subways of Tokyo with her clunky Japanese. Fueled by iced coffee brewed from local cafés in Metro Manila, she also regularly covers anime and video games while queuing for her next match in League of Legends.