Former US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said US President Donald Trump’s tariffs are likely to outlive his administration, sustained by political fears that removing protectionist barriers will alienate workers who fear losing their jobs to offshoring and AI.
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Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, Raimondo argued that the political cost of unwinding tariffs is too high for any future administration, regardless of party.
“Tariffs, once they’re put on, are hard to take off,” Raimondo said on Wednesday. “No one wants to be the American president accused of letting down the American worker. Tariffs protect the American worker. And I think AI makes it more so of a political reality.”
Former president Joe Biden maintained duties from the first Trump term to avoid the perception of abandoning domestic labour, despite her urging to reduce some levies, she said on a panel alongside Goldman Sachs President John Waldron.
Waldron agreed, adding that a complicated labour environment expected next year would only worsen these political sensitivities.
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