President Trump’s sweeping tariff proposals—blanket taxes on imports, punitive measures against specific countries, and even a 100% tariff on nations challenging the U.S. dollar—are set to shake global trade. What’s surprising isn’t just the scale but how easily such tariffs can be implemented. Unlike most taxes, tariffs don’t require Congressional approval or judicial review. Instead, they can be enacted unilaterally by the president.
While this power allows for swift action, it bypasses the guardrails designed to maintain balance in policymaking. Economists warn that such unchecked authority can drive up consumer costs, inefficiently redirect economic activity, and spark retaliatory trade wars.
A recent research brief highlights how this unchecked power came to be and outlines steps Congress could take to reclaim oversight. By restoring accountability to trade policy, the U.S. could avoid the destabilizing consequences of unchecked tariffs and strengthen its global economic relationships.
The question now is whether policymakers will act in time to prevent long-term damage or let executive power continue to reshape the economy unchecked.