In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, then-candidate Donald Trump made waves when he declared that “the most beautiful word…in the dictionary today…is the word ‘tariff’—it’s more beautiful than ‘love.'” While this humorous comment was a bit hyperbolic, the underlying sentiment was not. President-elect Trump campaigned on the promise of raising tariffs across the board, and he has a mandate from his Midwestern constituents to deliver protection and prosperity.
While the fight for Treasury Secretary has reached a fever pitch, whoever is chosen for the role will likely be far more favorable to tariffs than former treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin was back in 2016; the same could also be said for vice president-elect JD Vance, a staunch supporter of tariffs, in comparison to Mike Pence, a devotee of free trade. Furthermore, former U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer—the most vocal and effective defender of economic patriotism from his first term—is expected to play …