Former President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose a “universal baseline tariff” on all goods entering the United States would spike inflation and tamp down on economic growth, the White House said Wednesday.
“Combining a sweeping tariff tax on the middle class with more trickle-down tax welfare for rich special interests would stifle economic growth and fuel inflation,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Trump last week called for an “automatic” tariff on foreign goods in an interview with Fox Business, and said he liked the idea of setting the rate at 10%. Such a system could encourage companies to move manufacturing back to the US, Trump argued.
“I think we should have a ring around the collar,” Trump said.
While in the White House, Trump imposed substantial new tariffs on solar panels, washing machines, steel and aluminum, as well as products from China.