Core Points - The U.S. government has announced a new round of tariffs on heavy trucks, furniture, and brand-name pharmaceuticals, citing national security threats under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, continuing the "America First" trade framework initiated during Trump's presidency [1][3] - The average tariff level in the U.S. has stabilized at around 18%, the highest in over a century, significantly impacting the global free trade system [3] - The new tariff policy emphasizes "forced manufacturing return," particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, where foreign brands building production facilities in the U.S. can receive exemptions from tariffs as high as 100% on imported drugs [3][4] - This tariff structure represents a shift from traditional protectionism to a more aggressive industrial policy, directly influencing multinational companies' investment decisions [3][4] Economic Implications - The U.S. government's narrative suggests that raising tariffs will reduce trade deficits, revitalize manufacturing, and increase federal revenue, but mainstream economic research institutions disagree, predicting significant negative impacts on GDP growth [4][5] - The tariffs effectively act as a tax on U.S. consumers and businesses, leading to higher domestic inflation and reduced real income for households, with the benefits to manufacturing being outweighed by economic costs [5] Social Impact - Tariffs, viewed as a consumption tax, disproportionately burden low-income families who spend a larger portion of their income on essential imported goods, while the tax cuts linked to tariff revenues primarily benefit high-income households and corporations [7] - The combination of tariffs and tax cuts creates a fiscal transfer mechanism that shifts economic burdens onto lower-income groups while providing benefits to wealthier individuals [7] Geopolitical Context - The U.S. government's unilateral tariff threats have successfully fragmented traditional alliances, undermining collective bargaining power among allies and prompting countries to seek individual agreements to protect their economies [8] - The current U.S. trade strategy signals a shift away from the post-World War II multilateral trade system, aiming to establish a new trade network centered around U.S. economic strength, which poses challenges to global trade stability [9]