Trump is failing to provide coherent leadership on tariffs

Published April 15, 2025 12:01am ET



If you are confused about the government‘s tariff policy, don’t worry. You are not alone. Confusion is not your fault. Since taking office for the second time, President Donald Trump has flipped back and forth on tariffs while offering different explanations for current policy and different predictions for future policy.

There are many components to successful leadership, but an important one is communicating to constituents what your policies are, why they are needed, and how they will work. Trump has not done this for his tariffs. As a result, the economy is suffering, and voters are beginning to blame the president for their pain. Until Trump is able to deliver stability or clarity on this matter, the economic pain will continue for everyone, and the political pain for Trump and the Republican Party will worsen.

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