Former President Donald Trump campaigns on two big foreign policy ideas: tariffs and peace. Unfortunately for Americans, Trump’s tariffs would hit hard in the wallet, and his plan to cut deals with America’s enemies would raise the odds of the “World War III” he claims to be saving us from.
Start with Trump’s tariffs. There is a place for targeted tariffs to protect strategic industries and to push back on China’s unfair trade practices. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris raised tariffs on Chinese cars to protect U.S. auto manufacturing, including the cars that Hyundai and Kia make here in Georgia.
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But that is not what Trump is talking about. Only 15% of all American imports come from China. The other 85% that Trump says he plans to tax comes from the rest of the world — including close American allies. Many of these goods the United States has no choice but to import: The United States simply doesn’t grow much grow coffee. Under Trump, the price of your morning cup will go up.
Imports are not a boogeyman. Many medicines we rely on were invented in Europe. Though European companies can make some of them here, the United States is going to have to keep importing others. Trump’s planned 10%, 20% or 60% tariffs — he proposes a different rate depending on the interview — will raise food and drug costs. Indeed, economists have found that Trump’s tariff plans will cost families between $2,600 and $4,000 per year.
Harris has a better plan. She recently released a proposal to rebuild U.S. manufacturing by establishing new tax credits to encourage investment in key U.S. industries. This will build on the policies that have attracted tens of billions of new manufacturing investment to Georgia over the past four years. Harris’ plan will bring down costs while providing a new generation of good-paying, high-quality jobs.
Even more worrying than Trump’s planed tariff hikes is the risk that Trump will blunder America into a disastrous war.
There is no denying that global threats to America are rising. Russia is waging war against Ukraine, Israel is under attack, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is threatening Taiwan and other partners in Asia. Trump’s oft-repeated claim of “No WWIII!” is appealing.
But Trump and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, forget the fundamental truth that Ronald Reagan laid out in his 1980 presidential campaign: The surest way to keep the peace is by demonstrating our strength.
Take Trump’s plan to tell Ukraine to cut a deal with Russia. Sure, if Trump forces Ukraine to cede half its territory to Moscow, the guns will fall quiet. But what will Russian President Vladimir Putin do next? The lessons of history show us that tyrants don’t stop when they’re appeased. Putin could very well attack U.S. treaty allies in Europe, sparking an even bigger and more destructive war. Imagine following Trump’s advice in our own foreign policy: If Putin threatens to attack Alaska, would we give in and declare that we “should have made a deal” to avoid war, as Trump recently told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky? Trump has similarly suggested to Beijing that he might not defend Taiwan if China invades — rhetoric that practically asks Xi Jinping to test what he can get away with. Trump’s rhetoric will make all of us less safe.
During her time on the Intelligence Committee in the Senate and as vice president, Harris demonstrated that she knows the way America keeps the peace is by demonstrating our resolve, standing up to our enemies, and negotiating from a position of strength. When she accepted the Democratic nomination this summer in Chicago, she pledged to keep America’s military the most lethal fighting force in the world — an essential form of deterrence against our enemies. She has supported Israel’s ability to defend itself against Iran while also saying she will put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a cease-fire. The millions of Americans who watched Harris goad Trump into a rambling diatribe about the size of his campaign rallies during the presidential debate saw a clear contrast between leader who can go to toe-to-toe at the negotiating table with a foreign president and one who would be susceptible to flattery, emotional manipulation and threats.
Trump is right that we need to bring costs down for Americans and keep America out of a third World War. Unfortunately for him, Harris is the only candidate who can actually accomplish those goals.
Peter Harrell is a lawyer who lives in Atlanta. He served on the National Security Council at the White House in 2021 and 2022.
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