Trump's Tariffs Made His Farm Bailouts Inevitable | The Libertarian Institute
By Joseph Solis-Mullen
> In the comic theater of American politics, few spectacles are as reliably absurd as the utopian promises of protectionism. Donald Trump’s tariffs, hailed by their proponents as a bold strike against foreign exploitation, have instead proven to be a blunt instrument of economic self-sabotage—particularly for the nation’s farmers. From his first administration to the present day these policies have not only disrupted free markets but have necessitated a cascade of government bailouts, turning independent producers into wards of the state. Such interventions are not savvy trade strategy but are classic crony capitalism: politicians picking winners and losers, all while taxpayers foot the bill for the inevitable fallout.
> Let’s rewind to Trump’s initial foray into tariff warfare, beginning in 2018. Under the guise of national security and “fair trade”—invoking dusty provisions like Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962—the administration slapped duties on imports ranging from steel and aluminum to a broad array of Chinese goods.