010: Tariff Wars: How You’re Secretly Paying the Price for International Drama

Tariff Wars: How You're Secretly Paying the Price for International Drama

Host: Kristina Braly, M.D.

“I Call Bullshit with Kristina Braly”

Episode Description

In this explosive episode, Kristina dives deep into the controversial world of tariffs, the taxes on imports that quietly raise prices on everyday products. From Alexander Hamilton’s original tariffs that funded early America to the disastrous Smoot-Hawley Act, and the modern tariff wars of Trump and Biden, we uncover the truth behind this contentious economic weapon. You’ll learn why countries use tariffs, how America has both suffered and retaliated, and why these trade battles ultimately hit your wallet the hardest. Are tariffs genuinely protecting American jobs, or are they just another political game costing consumers billions? Listen now and decide for yourself!

Key Talking Points

• What tariffs are and how they've historically been used to fund governments and protect industries.
• The devastating economic backlash from the 1930 Smoot-Hawley tariff.
• Why other countries’ tariffs often place U.S. products at a severe disadvantage.
• The rationale behind Trump’s aggressive tariffs aimed at reducing trade deficits and boosting manufacturing jobs.
• President Biden’s targeted approach to tariffs on clean energy, steel, aluminum, and critical technology imports.
• Real-world impacts of tariffs—higher consumer costs, lost jobs, and economic trade-offs.
• Recent April 2025 developments: escalating tariff tensions between the U.S., China, and Europe.

References & Links

• Commerce Department: Biden Administration Tariff Actions (May 2024)
• International Trade Insights: Biden’s 2024 Aluminum & Steel Tariff Hikes
• USTR: September 2024 China Tariff Updates
• Utility Dive: Biden's Solar Energy Tariffs (December 2024)
• Congressional Research Service: U.S.-China Tariff Actions Overview
• Richmond Fed: Economic Impact of Tariffs (March 2025)
• Cato Institute: History of Tariffs in American Economic Policy
• US International Trade Commission: Tariff Act of 1789
• White House (Trump Administration): Reciprocal Tariff Announcement (April 2025)
• White House (Trump Administration): Section 232 Tariff Restoration (Feb 2025)
• White House: America First Trade Policy Report (April 2025)
• Reuters: China's Response to Trump's 2025 Tariff Proposals

Listener Takeaways

• Understand that tariffs are not just economic policy but powerful political tools.
• Recognize that tariffs primarily impact consumers and everyday products.