Attempting to defend Trump’s tariffs, the White House points to studies that show they raise prices, cut manufacturing output, and lead to costly retaliation.
On President Donald Trump‘s so-called “Liberation Day,” when he implemented new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, the White House published an article defending tariffs.
“Despite the rhetoric from politicians and the media, studies have repeatedly shown tariffs are an effective tool for achieving economic and strategic objectives—just as they did in President Trump’s first term,” the White House claimed.
But the reports listed tell a different story: Tariffs raise prices and lead to less manufacturing output and costly retaliation.
Let’s take a closer look at the sources cited by the White House and see what they actually say.
This is a preview of our full op-ed originally published in Reason.
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