President Trump told me I would eventually come around to his tariff strategy. I didn’t think it was possible. Today, I admit: he was right. Let me explain what changed my mind. pic.twitter.com/UQz23HOkQK
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) February 26, 2026
Trump’s tariff strategy is the worst covered thing I have seen in quite some time. It isn’t just the mainstream press that have dropped the ball; many conservatives did as well.
Trump’s tariff strategy was obvious from the beginning. Put on large tariffs to force countries to negotiate. Get a deal, then lower them. This happened time and time again. In fact, most of the large tariffs were never actually put on.
It is important to view tariffs in three buckets.
National Security Tariffs:Â
These tariffs are non-negotiables. There are certain industries that the United States needs to have. Tariffs are the only way to keep these industries.
Industries the United States should have but aren’t considered National Security:
These are tariffs that we back but are not on the same level as National Security. The issues with these tariffs are where theory meets reality. What we mean by this is that to bring industry back will take time. Putting a tariff on begins the process of reshoring industry. The issue is that it takes time. Some companies might try to wait out the tariffs and hope they will be taken off. The period between jobs coming back and the tariff being put on can be rough for the economy. This is why Trump has tried to do both. He is putting on tariffs but also ensuring that the transition isn’t overly painful for Americans.
Industries America will never have:
This bucket is where the true argument for or against tariffs begins. The question is very simple. Should the government put a small tariff to raise funds or is it better to keep trade free? We don’t have the answer. This is where the debate should be had.
We believe the first two buckets are non-negotiables. The United States should be doing everything it can to have as much industry as possible in the United States. This is where the Trump tariff plan is targeting. The media doesn’t want you to know that.
Good on Glenn Beck for admitting he wrong. So many conservatives are so blinded by theory they miss common sense on this issue. Conservatives support free markets. That does not mean a good strategy is to let all your industry flee to foreign countries.
