'Chaotic tariff regime': Economist says Americans will feel the costs but not benefits

Trade Policy & Economic Impact - US import taxes reached their highest level since the Great Depression, signaling a new phase in reshaping the global economy [1] - Markets have shown resilience to the remaking of the global trade order, but concerns remain about potential implications [2] - Tariffs may impact consumer grocery bills more noticeably in the near term than retirement funds [3] - Automakers are experiencing billion-dollar hits due to tariffs, potentially leading to increased consumer prices [4] - The Treasury Secretary defends tariff policies, touting the return of trillions of dollars in investments in domestic manufacturing [5] Manufacturing & Investment - The administration aims to rebalance trade in America's favor, bring back high-precision manufacturing jobs, and reduce trade deficits [6] - Investments in American manufacturing are contingent on expectations of future profitability, which is influenced by the stability and predictability of tariff policies [9] - A chaotic and unpredictable tariff regime discourages long-term manufacturing investments in America [10][11] - The current tariff structure may lead to higher inflation and increased prices for consumers without corresponding job creation [11][12] Trade Deals & International Relations - There are questions surrounding the details and enforceability of trade deals with countries like Japan and the EU [18][19][20][21][22] - The Japan deal, touted as bringing hundreds of billions of dollars with 90% of profits to the US, is not understood in those terms by Japanese officials, and lacks written documentation [19][20] - The president has discussed countries "buying down" tariff rates with investments, but details on these investments are scarce [22] - The US is still working on trade deals with China and Mexico, which are considered significant partners [23]