When we talk about presidential power, we often imagine sweeping executive orders, foreign diplomacy, and commanding speeches. But sometimes, it’s something far more technical—and deceptively simple—that defines a presidency: tariffs.
In fact, tariffs have had the power to "trump" even the president, reshaping domestic economies, inflaming international relations, and altering the course of history. From Donald Trump’s trade war with China to historical moves by leaders like Herbert Hoover, tariffs have often acted as both tools and traps for the highest office in the United States.
Let’s take a look at the tariffs that shaped—perhaps even upstaged—the presidents behind them.
Donald Trump: “Tariff Man” and the US-China Trade War
If there’s one president whose name became almost synonymous with tariffs in recent history, it’s Donald J. Trump.
In 2018, Trump kicked off a tit-for-tat trade war with China, slapping tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese goods, citing unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. China retaliated in kind, leading to a cascade of economic effects, especially for U.S. farmers and manufacturers.
Trump's use of Section 232 (national security) and Section 301 (unfair trade practices) mechanisms gave him wide latitude to impose tariffs without Congressional approval—highlighting just how much unilateral power the presidency holds in trade policy.
Despite the economic pushback, Trump framed tariffs as a patriotic tool, branding himself the “Tariff Man.” Whether one sees it as strategic brinkmanship or economic blunder, there’s no denying that tariffs dominated his economic agenda—and defined a large part of his foreign policy legacy.
Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression: The Smoot-Hawley Act
Long before Trump, President Herbert Hoover found himself at the mercy of a tariff decision that would haunt his presidency.
In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was signed into law, raising tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods. Though the intention was to protect American farmers and manufacturers during the early days of the Great Depression, it backfired spectacularly.
Global retaliation ensued, world trade collapsed, and many economists blame Smoot-Hawley for deepening the global depression. Hoover’s name is forever linked with this disastrous piece of legislation—proving that tariffs can do more than nudge the economy; they can crash it.
Tariffs as a Presidential Power Play
Presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden have wielded tariffs, but the ones who made them central to their leadership often faced unpredictable outcomes. Tariffs can:
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Rally nationalist support, especially when framed as protecting American jobs.
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Strain alliances, as trading partners see them as economic aggression.
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Disrupt markets, often in ways that spiral beyond presidential control.
Lessons Learned: Who Really Holds the Power?
What’s clear is that tariffs—though often viewed as technical trade tools—can have immense symbolic and practical power. They can define legacies, trigger economic upheaval, and even shift global power dynamics.
So, when tariffs start dominating headlines, it’s worth asking:
Are presidents using tariffs to control the economy, or are tariffs controlling the presidents?
Sometimes, tariffs trump presidents—and not just the one named Trump.
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