The Surprising Staying Power of Trump’s Tariffs – Council on Foreign Relations

The Surprising Staying Power of Trump’s Tariffs  Council on Foreign Relations

Americans are unhappy with rising prices and see tariffs as part of the problem. But that doesn’t mean they agree on what to do about them. Allison J. Smith is deputy director for geoeconomics at CFR. Affordability concerns are weighing on Americans’ minds, and many associate tariffs with rising prices. Yet those expecting an overwhelming groundswell of support for reversing U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff-forward trade policy are likely to be disappointed. Although a plurality of Americans agrees that the main impact of tariffs is to raise prices, there is much less agreement on what to do about them. Americans across party affiliation are anxious about the cost of a range of goods, according to multiple polls, including a Council on Foreign Relations–Morning Consult survey conducted in August.

The survey found that 75 percent of adults are concerned about being able to afford groceries and food products, including 46 percent who are very concerned, while more than half are also worried about affording pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Meanwhile, 41 percent of those surveyed said the main impact of tariffs is to raise prices. Although Americans may loathe the personal costs of tariffs, their views on what to do about them are mixed. Fewer than 30 percent of those surveyed wanted all tariffs to be removed, while 20–24 percent (depending on