Donald Trump’s proposal is simple on the surface but explosive underneath: sharply raise tariffs on foreign imports, channel the revenue into federal coffers, and then send much of that money back to Americans as a direct dividend of at least $2,000 per person, excluding high-income earners. He frames tariffs as a weapon that makes the U.S. “rich” while punishing foreign producers, insisting opponents are “fools” who don’t understand national power or economic leverage.
