The Protectionist Gamble Trump’s Tariffs and the New Economic Order

De: Rene Pineda

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

The Protectionist Gamble: Trump’s Tariffs and the New Economic Order.

In The Protectionist Gamble: Trump’s Tariffs and the New Economic Order, author Rene Pineda delivers a gripping and meticulously researched exploration of the seismic impact of Donald Trump’s trade wars on the United States and the global economy. Born from campaign promises to restore American industry through aggressive tariffs, Trump’s protectionist agenda escalated in 2025 to cover 69% of U.S. imports at the highest rates in nearly a century, reshaping markets, straining alliances, and challenging the post-World War II architecture of global cooperation. This compelling narrative unravels the complexities of a policy sold as a path to a "golden age" but resulting in profound economic and geopolitical consequences. Through five incisive chapters, the book dissects the mechanics and fallout of Trump’s tariffs. It reveals how these levies, contrary to claims that foreign exporters would bear the costs, have burdened American consumers with higher prices, eroded purchasing power, and fueled persistent inflation.
The promise of revitalized manufacturing has faltered, with job losses in tariff-exposed sectors, stagnant wages, and a widening trade deficit exposing the limits of protectionism. Fiscally, while tariffs generate revenue, they exacerbate the U.S.’s $1.3 trillion budget shortfall by inflating debt servicing costs, threatening long-term stability. Globally, the trade war has triggered a range of reactions from reluctant compliance by allies like the EU and Japan to fierce retaliation from China, which has devastated U.S. farmers and exporters.

As supply chains fracture and regional blocs like ASEAN’s RCEP gain prominence, the world edges toward deglobalization, risking decades of poverty reduction for one billion people. The erosion of multilateral institutions like the WTO signals a broader retreat from rules-based trade, fostering uncertainty and diminishing global cooperation.

Yet, amid the turmoil, adaptation offers glimmers of resilience. Nations are rethinking economic policies, forging regional alliances to navigate a multipolar world. The Protectionist Gamble challenges readers to confront the enduring legacy of the trade war: a fractured economic order that demands urgent reform to restore stability and equity. Blending rigorous economic analysis with vivid storytelling, this book is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the high-stakes gamble of Trump’s tariffs and its profound implications for the future of global prosperity.