‘Did Trump’s second-term tariff crusade backfire on America?’

This is apropos four letters to the Editor from this writer carried by the newspaper on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and yesterday.

Simultaneously, the White House began punishing Democratic states by withholding federal infrastructure funds while granting bonuses and subsidies to Republican-governed regions. This selective disbursement of national resources has widened America’s internal divide, transforming fiscal policy into a partisan weapon.

The attempt to project strength has instead exposed weakness — a federal government at war with its own states.

Ten months into Trump’s second term, nearly every pillar of his campaign stands eroded. The tariffs meant to punish foreign “plunderers” punished American workers and consumers instead. The immigration clampdown intended to restore “law and order” has generated chaos and shame.

The National Guard deployments, framed as decisive leadership, now symbolize federal authoritarianism. And the selective funding of states has alienated millions of Americans who feel their taxes are being used to reward political loyalty rather than public need.

The economic cost of the tariffs — roughly $600 billion in losses — combines with the social and political cost of division: a fractured society, disillusioned allies, and a democracy tested at its seams. Even conservative economists concede that the “America First” project has yielded America isolated, economically weaker, and morally diminished.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025