Tariff

A tariff is a tax or custom duty on an imported good. It essentially is a cover charge or entrance fee for access to a domestic market. It can take one of two forms: (1) a tax per unit, known as a specific tariff, or (2) a tax based on the value of the good, known as an ad valorem tariff.

Prior to the income tax, tariffs were the principal way for most of American history to support the federal government.

In telecommunications, a tariff consists of documents filed by a common carrier describing its services and the payments to be charged for such services.^{[Citation Needed]}

Tariffs can lead to a reduction and higher prices on foreign imported goods.^[1] Like the corporate income tax, domestic consumers ultimately pay the tax in higher prices.

In the 1980s President Ronald Reagan made the argument against tariffs and in favor of free trade:

The anti-tariff free trade movement targeted US labor unions, many of which were deemed to by under communist control during the Cold War.

See also: Maidan coup

The Russian Federation has extensive tariffs on goods produced in the European Union.^[2] Alternatively, the Russian Federation had a free trade agreement with Ukraine prior to the United States,^[3] under the Obama administration, staging a coup in February 2014 against the democratically elected government of Ukraine that brought a fascist and neo-Nazi regime to power.^[4] One of the new regime's first acts was to withdraw from the free trade agreement with the Russian Federation and enter into an Association Agreement with the EU.^[5]

"Tariff is the most beautiful word in the dictionary." - Donald Trump^[6]

U.S. President Donald Trump supports tariffs as a way of restoring American jobs lost due to massive trade deficits. Critics of President Trump's tariff proposals are often beneficiaries of products that incorporate items such as low-priced steel imports. Supporters of the President's tariffs believe protective tariffs are a way to protect U.S. producers and American workers.^[7][8] Trump has noted that the most successful vehicles in the auto industry are protected by high tariffs.^[9]

Beginning in the First Trump Administration tariffs on Chinese imports stemmed the capital outflow to China, sparked creation of manufacturing and service sector jobs in the U.S., and slowed the Chinese military build-up which previously was being funded by American consumers.^[10]

Trump's ongoing "trade war" with the People's Republic of China (his placement of tariffs on Chinese goods, which exist mostly as a result of intellectual property theft^[11] from the West) have frustrated liberals and even mainstream conservatives, but even self-described classical liberal journalist Tim Pool has stated that his "liberal friends in Hong Kong support the tariffs."

Trump's trade advisors are mulling over the idea of implementing gradually increasing tariffs in order to avoid an inflation spike.^[12] By implementing changes gradually, the Trump administration aims to avoid the market volatility that often accompanies sudden policy shifts. The gradual increase in tariffs is intended to give businesses time to adapt to the new trade environment, minimizing the potential negative impact on the economy. This approach has been described as "boiling the frog," where the changes are so gradual that they go almost unnoticed until they have fully taken effect.^[13]

According to the Chinese government,^[14] approximately 14.7% of China’s total exports went to the United States in 2024. That is a decline compared to 2018, when the U.S. accounted for approximately 16% of China’s exports, with total exports to the U.S. valued at $547 billion.

Chinese exports to the United States in 2024 accounted for 13.4% of all US imports. The main categories of goods imported from China to the U.S. include:

• Consumer Electronics: Smartphones, computers, and tablets dominate this category, with China accounting for 78% of U.S. smartphone imports and 79% of laptops in 2023. Other electronics include televisions, home entertainment systems, and lithium-ion batteries, which make up a significant share of imports

• Machinery and Industrial Equipment: Includes auto parts, robotics, automation equipment, and construction machinery. This category accounted for $110 billion in imports in 2023.

• Furniture and Household Goods: Wood and upholstered furniture, small home appliances (e.g., microwaves, air purifiers), and lighting fixtures are key products. Furniture alone accounted for $14 billion in imports.

• Toys, Textiles, and Apparel: Toys represent over 70% of U.S. toy imports, while textiles and clothing made up $21 billion in imports in 2023.

• Medical Supplies and Pharmaceuticals: Includes raw pharmaceutical ingredients and medical devices, accounting for about 30% of U.S. imports in this category.

Tariffs were instrumental in the economic growth of the United States^[15] China has also used tariffs to its advantage.^[16]

"Tariff is the most beautiful word in the dictionary." - Donald Trump ^[17]

• Anti-Dumping Duty
• MAGAnomics

• Are Tariffs Good for America?, by Steve Byas at The New American, March 12, 2018.
• Can tariffs be a good thing?, Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2024
• Tariffs done right can rebuild our economy, Coalition for a Prosperous America, 2024
• Trump Reiterates 'Reciprocal Tariffs' Threat To India, China, Brazil; ‘Will Make U.S. Rich Again…’, Hindustan Times, 2024