Let’s debunk the whole “tariffs are a tax on Americans” talking point.
A tariff is a “tax” on the IMPORTER of goods to the U.S. which means by definition, it is NOT a tax on Americans, its an additional fee in the form of a percentage added on to the cost of the product being shipped into this country. Essentially, it’s the cost of doing business. As stated in the latest SCOTUS ruling, the president has the authority to impose tariffs on goods through multiple avenues. This authority was given to him by congress in 1922, 1934, and 1974 through different pieces of legislation.
Tariffs are paid to the U.S. by the country importing the goods, and they are collected by customs and border protection. The money then goes into the treasury, and is added to the general pool Congress uses to allocate for funding the military, Medicare, etc.
In 2025, Trumps tariffs brought in 287 BILLION dollars.
So, why do people say they’re a tax on Americans when they’re clearly a tax on other countries who import goods into America? The answer is simple, they’re lying to you.
What these liars are implying is because the cost of goods will go up for a country like China, THEY will raise their prices and charge American companies who buy the product more, which they will then roll over to the consumer, and they claim that is essentially you being “taxed”.
This is like calling the rise in price of a lobster based on season a “tax”. When in reality it’s just market value fluctuating due to mitigating factor.
The part none of these talking heads will tell you is tariffs hurt the importer way more than it will ever affect the consumer. If we charge China a 15% mark up, and they try and recoup 100% of that by passing it to the receiver in America, they’ll just find a new supplier that isn’t so expensive or make their product in America and avoid tariffs all together. Retailers will never raise prices to the point where they lose customers. Nobody is gonna pay 15% more for something that was 15% cheaper the day before.
What most businesses will do when we start imposing tariffs on other countries is build their product in America. That creates jobs, manufacturing, and over time, LOWERS the cost of goods across the board because now we have a competitive market instead of a market reliant on cheap shit from countries with no quality control and slave labor.
Tariffs aren’t a tax on Americans, they’re a tool to incentivize American exceptionalism, and put America first over the countries who have been ripping us off by stealing our production, innovation, and manufacturing, and then selling it back to us for 10 cents on the dollar.
Originally Posted by bambino
What we have here is a complete misunderstanding of the definition of “IMPORTER”.
The importer is a company or individual in the United States who buys goods from a foreign country.
For example if an American liquor store purchased Canadian whiskey to resell to American customers he would have to pay the tariff or tax to the American government.
That’s why tariffs are taxes on American consumers.
Importers are American companies and American consumers not foreign companies or foreign countries.