Tharoor Slams Trump’s Reliance on Tariffs as “Magic Tools”
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has taken aim at U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies, saying Trump treats tariffs as “magic instruments” to fix America’s economic problems. Tharoor argued that such an approach oversimplifies complex global trade realities.
Trump’s Rationale According to Tharoor
Tharoor said Trump believes that many products once made in America are now imported and that imposing tariffs will make these imports costly, pushing manufacturing back to the U.S. He added that Trump’s stance is also politically calculated to appeal to his MEGA (Make Everything Great Again) voter base.
Pushback & Concerns Raised
Tharoor cautioned that over-reliance on tariffs could backfire by straining trade ties and damaging cooperation with partners like India. He pointed out that recent U.S. steps, including tariff hikes and the controversial H-1B visa fee, are politically driven moves that may invite global backlash.
