WASHINGTON 鈥 To President Donald Trump, 鈥渢ariff鈥 is more than 鈥渢he most beautiful word in the dictionary,鈥 something he says often.
Tariffs, in Trump鈥檚 view, are also a cure for a number of the nation鈥檚 ills and the tool to reach new heights.
Most economists see taxes paid on imports as capable of addressing unfair trade practices, but they鈥檙e skeptical of the quasi-miraculous properties that Trump claims they possess.
As the Republican president has touched off a trade war with America鈥檚 trading partners, he has offered an array of reasons to justify the steep tariffs he鈥檚 imposing or considering on goods coming from Mexico, Canada, China and beyond, despite warnings from experts that adding taxes to imported goods leads to higher prices for U.S. businesses and consumers.
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A look at Trump鈥檚 justifications for the tariffs he鈥檚 imposing:
To balance trade and spur U.S. manufacturing
Trump, in his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, said his threats of tariffs have spurred more U.S. manufacturing in the auto industry.
鈥淧lants are opening up all over the place,鈥 Trump said.
In comments directed at manufacturers, the president added: 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff and in some cases a rather large one.鈥
Trump, however, is granting a one-month exemption on his stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as worries persist that the newly launched trade war could crush domestic manufacturing. The pause comes after Trump spoke with leaders of the Big 3 automakers聽鈥 Ford, General Motors and Stellantis聽鈥 on Wednesday, according to the White House.
To stop illegal immigration and human trafficking
Stopping illegal immigration has been one of Trump鈥檚 top priorities, and he鈥檚 used it as part of the rationale behind steep tariffs he鈥檚 imposing on America鈥檚 border nations, Canada and Mexico.
Trump last month gave both countries a temporary reprieve from his tariff threats after they took steps to appease his concerns about border security, including Canada's move to list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups and Mexico's announcement it would send 10,000 troops from its National Guard to its northern border.
On Sunday, Trump posted on his social media network: 鈥淚LLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS LAST MONTH WERE THE LOWEST EVER RECORDED. THANK YOU!!!鈥
The next day, Trump announced he was imposing the tariffs anyway and said there was 鈥渘o room left鈥 for those countries to avoid the taxes.
To stop the flow of fentanyl
Trump has also cited the illicit flow of fentanyl into America as a reason for his tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, though a much smaller amount comes across America鈥檚 northern border than its southern border.
U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border.
Trump, in a post on his Truth social media network on Wednesday, said that when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked what could be done about the tariffs, 鈥淚 told him that many people have died from Fentanyl that came through the Borders of Canada and Mexico, and nothing has convinced me that it has stopped.鈥
Trump鈥檚 order imposing tariffs on China says that country鈥檚 government provides a 鈥渟afe haven鈥 for criminal organizations to 鈥渓aunder the revenues from the production, shipment and sale of illicit synthetic opioids.鈥
To balance the budget
Last month, when Trump spoke at an investment summit in Miami, he said tariffs will help balance the federal budget.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to balance the budget immediately, and because of the tariff income, which is really 鈥 it鈥檚 already turned out to be amazing, actually," Trump said. "It鈥檚 really meant more for bringing countries and companies into our country, but it鈥檚 鈥 the numbers are rather staggering, because we鈥檙e the big piggy bank that everybody wants to be.鈥
To impose 鈥榝airness鈥
鈥淚鈥檝e decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff,鈥 Trump said last month as he signed a proclamation laying out his plan for reciprocal tariffs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fair to all. No other country can complain.鈥
To bolster national security
Trump signed executive orders in February and March instructing the Commerce Department to consider whether tariffs on imported copper, lumber and timber were needed to protect national security.
The order Trump signed in February said copper plays a vital role in U.S. defense, infrastructure and emerging technologies, and it ordered Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to investigate 鈥渁ctions to mitigate such threats, including potential tariffs.鈥
To make child care more affordable
Last year, as Trump campaigned again for the presidency, he frequently proselytized his tariff plans and in one appearance suggested tariffs could help solve rising child care costs.
In response to a question about how he'd tackle child care costs so more women could join the workforce, Trump brought up his plan to raise taxes on imports and said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be taking in trillions of dollars, and as much as child care is talked about as being expensive, it鈥檚 鈥 relatively speaking 鈥 not very expensive, compared to the kind of numbers we鈥檒l be taking in."
