Trade Cases
January 19, 2020
Parsing the Impact of Trump's Tariffs
Written by Tim Triplett
Looking back on 2019, it’s difficult to assess the success of Trump’s tariffs. A case for their effectiveness can be made either way.
Judging by one measure, imports, it certainly appears the tariffs did their job. The American Iron and Steel Institute estimates that total steel imports declined by approximately 17.9 percent in 2019 to 28.7 million tons. This despite the U.S. exempting Canada and Mexico from the 25 percent Section 232 tariff to clear the way for passage of the USMCA.
