Victor Davis Hanson: Donald Trump’s Trade Parity ‘Golden Age’ Explained

Adversaries and allies alike have been ripping off the United States with “asymmetrical tariffs” for decades. Now, Trump is fighting back. “Whatever a particular country tariffs us, we reciprocate and just mirror image them. In other words, it’s their choice, not ours,” VDH says. On this edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Victor Davis Hanson explains the history behind tariffs and how other countries have taken advantage of America’s no-tariff policy for years. “It was all predicated in the postwar period. We were so affluent, so powerful—Europe, China, Russia were in shambles—that we had to take up the burdens of reviving the economy by taking great trade deficits,” Victor Davis Hanson says. We can’t afford to remain neutral in the trade war that’s been happening for decades. “If tariffs are so destructive of their economies, why is China booming?” Victor Davis Hanson asks.