President Donald Trump’s sweeping import taxes have returned from the dead, earning the moniker "zombie tariffs," and economists warn the chaotic policy is wreaking havoc on U.S. businesses.
Economist Justin Wolfers described the constantly shifting trade directives as a "never-ending 24/7 saga" punishing consumers instead of sparking a manufacturing boom.
The Forced Labor 'Legal Costume' After courts struck down previous trade levies, the administration replaced them with near-identical measures covering 99% of U.S. imports.
The new legal justification is a sudden concern over foreign trading partners failing to properly police forced labor.
"The latest iteration of Trump’s zombie tariffs cover nearly 99% of US imports — this time justified by the president’s sudden, deeply touching concern for forced labor around the world," said Wolfers.
