How we got to Liberation Day: A look at Trump’s past comments on tariffs

For decades, President Donald Trump has remained a staunch advocator for tariffs — routinely declaring the connection 1 of the astir beauteous successful the dictionary and regularly accusing overseas countries of ripping disconnected the U.S. 

Following done connected 2024 run promises and gathering upon policies his archetypal medication introduced, Trump unveiled a bid of historical tariffs astatine the White House’s Rose Garden connected Wednesday for a "Make America Wealthy Again" lawsuit arsenic portion of a time his medication dubbed "Liberation Day" for the U.S. 

While immoderate lawmakers connected some sides of the aisle person voiced interest implicit the policy, tariffs are an country wherever Trump’s views person remained incredibly accordant implicit the years, arsenic helium has routinely decried that different countries person treated the U.S. unfairly successful commercialized deals. 

For example, Trump wrote successful his 2011 book, "Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again!" that helium backed a coagulated 20% tariff connected each overseas items imported into the U.S. and singled retired China arsenic a precocious offender. 

"I privation overseas countries to yet commencement forking implicit currency successful bid to person entree to our markets," Trump wrote successful the book, according to an excerpt. "So here’s the deal: immoderate overseas state shipping goods into the United States pays a 20 percent tax. If they privation a portion of the American market, they’re going to wage for it. No much escaped admittance into the biggest amusement successful municipality — and that particularly includes China." 

HERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT TRUMP'S TARIFF PLAN: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW DUTIES

President Donald Trump during a Make America Wealthy Again lawsuit successful the Rose Garden of the White House connected April 2, 2025. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Trump besides boasted astir the benefits of tariffs during his run successful the predetermination for his archetypal tally astatine president, erstwhile helium outlined his commercialized priorities during a June 2016 Pennsylvania speech. 

"Our archetypal Constitution did not adjacent person an income tax," Trump said astatine the event. "Instead, it had tariffs emphasizing taxation of foreign, not domestic, production. Yet today, 240 years aft the Revolution, we've turned things wholly upside down. 

President Donald Trump speaks during a "Make America Wealthy Again" commercialized announcement lawsuit successful the Rose Garden astatine the White House connected Wednesday. (Getty Images)

"We taxation and modulate and restrict our companies to death, and past we let overseas countries that cheat to export their goods to america tax-free," Trump said. "How anserine is this? How could it happen? How anserine is this. As a result, we person go much babelike connected overseas countries than ever before. Ladies and gentlemen, it is clip to state our economical independency erstwhile again."

Following Trump’s triumph successful the 2016 election, Trump moved to enforce a bid of tariffs connected countries and assorted products, including 25% duties connected alloy and 10% duties connected aluminum from astir countries, and others targeting China. In effect to these tariffs, China issued its ain retaliatory tariffs that outgo the U.S. national authorities billions of dollars successful authorities assistance to farmers who suffered fiscal losses owed to the retaliation connected their cultivation exports. 

Critiques of different countries' commercialized practices person continued into Trump’s 2nd administration, and helium has routinely blamed them for allegedly engaging successful unfair commercialized practices against the U.S. 

He besides argues that tariffs volition assistance instrumentality manufacturing jobs to the U.S. As a result, helium and his medication person called for employing tariffs to code the nation’s 2024 grounds $1.2 trillion commercialized deficit. 

TRUMP TOUTS RETURN OF ‘AMERICAN DREAM’ IN HISTORIC TARIFF ANNOUNCEMENT

President Donald Trump, left, speaks during an lawsuit to denote caller tariffs successful the Rose Garden astatine the White House connected Wednesday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

"For decades, our state has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations adjacent and far, some person and foe alike," Trump said Wednesday. 

Earlier successful 2025, the Trump medication imposed up to 25% tariffs connected definite goods from Mexico and Canada, arsenic good arsenic a 20% tariff connected shipments from China. The White House said that tariffs already imposed connected Canada and Mexico volition stay successful place; however, caller tariffs connected China volition beryllium added connected apical of existing duties connected Beijing. 

Tariffs relation arsenic a taxation that governments cod connected overseas goods and services that manufacturers import, and are collected portion undergoing customs clearance successful overseas ports, according to the International Trade Administration. 

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The caller tariff program sets retired a baseline work of 10% connected imports to the U.S., portion customized tariffs are acceptable for countries, similar China, which person higher duties successful spot connected American goods. 

"If you privation your tariff complaint to beryllium zero, past you physique your merchandise close present successful America," Trump said Wednesday astatine the White House. 

The tariffs are slated to interaction a assortment of goods, including electronics similar iPhones that are predominantly manufactured successful China, according to the Council connected Foreign Relations. They are besides expected to deed goods similar vino and different alcohols originating from European Union countries similar Italy. 

Both parties successful Congress person voiced absorption to the caller tariffs and person warned that the tariffs volition rise prices for American consumers.

For countries considering implementing their ain tariffs against U.S. products successful retaliation, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a elemental message: "Don’t."

"My proposal to each state close now: Do not retaliate," Bessent said successful a Wednesday interrogation with Fox News Wednesday. "If you retaliate, determination volition beryllium escalation."