History of tariffs

The Washington Examiner argues that tariff-setting authority belongs to Congress, not the president. Engelsberg Ideas highlights the long history of tariff debates in US politics. The Unseen and The Unsaid reports research showing tariffs reduce trade, output, and wages. The Washington Post argues Trump’s tariff plan misinterprets a 1974 balance-of-payments law.

Mentioned publications

Despite its reluctance, tariff setting is the job of Congress — not Trump – Iain Murray, Washington Examiner, February 27, 2026
Murray explains that the Supreme Court’s ruling against Trump’s tariffs reaffirms that tariff-setting is a legislative power and that Congress cannot delegate sweeping tariff authority through vague statutory language.
A deep history of America’s tariff wars – Samuel Gregg, Engelsberg Ideas, March 2, 2026
Gregg highlights that trade policy, especially tariffs, has re-emerged as a central and divisive issue in US politics during the Trump era, reflecting a long historical debate over protectionism versus free trade. It concludes that deeper political and economic forces — not court rulings — will ultimately determine whether the United States moves toward protectionism or trade liberalization.
What history tells us about tariffs and why it matters now – Jack Salmon, The Unseen and The Unsaid, March 2, 2026
Northwestern University economists analyze 21 US tariff changes since 1840 to isolate their economic effects. They find that a one percentage point tariff increase reduces imports by about 4% and exports by about 2%, lowers real GDP by 0.9%, cuts manufacturing output by more than 1.5%, and reduces real wages, while slightly raising prices.
Trump tries to rewrite the history of trade – Editorial Board, The Washington Post Op-ed, February 24, 2026
President Donald Trump’s new tariff plan rests on a flawed interpretation of a 20 October 1974 statute intended to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits, not routine trade deficits.