Trump overturned decades of US trade policy in 2025. See the impact of his tariffs, in four charts
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has overturned decades of U.S. trade policy — building a wall of tariffs around what used to be a wide open economy. His double-digit taxes on imports from almost
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The mainstream framing treats tariffs as a self-evident economic mistake, as if the only measure that matters is cheaper imports and smoother global supply chains. Four charts can show price movements, but they rarely show the fragility of relying on rivals for steel, pharmaceuticals, or basic electronics.
What gets missed is that the old “wide open” model wasn’t neutral. It rewarded offshoring, hollowed out industrial capacity, and left workers and small suppliers carrying the downside while financiers captured the upside. Tariffs are not free, but neither is decades of one-way trade dependence.
A conservative view starts with national security and public trust: a country that cannot make essential goods is not truly sovereign. It also insists on fairness when competitors use subsidies, currency games, or forced technology transfer.
The real question is whether policy serves American resilience. Rule-of-law trade should protect citizens, not just maximize global volume.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.