I appreciate the reasoned response. I know a bit about economics, and many academic economists will say tarriffs dont work. I agree in principle, but there is more in play than basic academic factors.
Regardless, it's surely not as bleak and terrifying as you think, at least from my perspective. And to be clear, this is just my personal interpretation of things.
Ultimately, we have been getting taken advantage of by our trading partners (friends and enemies) on a sizable scale both with tarriffs and with environmental aspects, causing essentially a defacto subsidizing of their economies. Its been ok because the US was so wealthy that we could afford it, and being this generous bought us a lot of goodwill internationally (at the expense of our working class and production base ,if you want proof, spend some time in downtown Jamestown NY).
At some point it needed to be addressed (as do many arguably more urgent issues like SS and our insane national debt). As is often the case, Trump handled it poorly, but he was right in identifying the issue. I think he believes it will result in a massive renegotiation of tarriffs (think everyone lowering tarriffs equally), and probably in short order. If he is right, this move has the power to reset global trade and possibly make the US an actual manufacturing center again (as opposed to just a country of consumer economy), ultimately increasing our tax base, which can be used to address some of the other urgent fiscal issues facing our country. As for the goodwill aspect, this days are pretty much gone anyway, imo. If he is right in all of this, I'd say it's the opposite of short sighted.
If he is wrong and nobody blinks, he will just quietly lower the tarriffs and declare a HUGE victory anyway, in true Trump form.
In the short term it'll mean turmoil, posturing and higher prices on some goods. What is the long term outcome going to be? Who knows.
But again, this is just my personal take on it.
See my above post. I generally did the same.