In a sweeping interview on The Tucker Carlson Show, former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer made the most comprehensive case yet for why tariffs—once dismissed as relics of the past—are now essential tools to restore national prosperity, defend working-class Americans, and rebalance a global trading system he argues has been rigged against the United States for decades. At the heart of Lighthizer’s argument is a simple but sobering diagnosis: the current global trade regime is hollowing out America. Trade, he explains, is supposed to operate on mutual benefit—countries export what they do best and import what others produce more efficiently. But this model has collapsed. Instead, nations like China, and increasingly Germany and others, pursue aggressive industrial policies that prioritize capital accumulation, manufacturing dominance, and technology acquisition—not improving their citizens’ living standards. Meanwhile, the U.S. maintains an open trading and capital system, inviting a one-sided relationship where wealth, jobs, and production flow overseas.
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The result? The United States has hemorrhaged its industrial capacity, lost technological leadership in critical sectors, and transferred an estimated $23.5 trillion in net wealth abroad through sustained trade deficits. American workers have borne the brunt. Manufacturing towns are shattered. Wages for non-college educated workers have stagnated for 25 years. Life expectancy has fallen—Lighthizer cites research showing deaths of despair (from suicide, drugs, and alcoholism) have spiked among working-class Americans. “We are the only G7 country with a life expectancy under 80 years,” he warns. “This is not normal. This is a national emergency.”
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According to Lighthizer, tariffs are not just about punishing bad actors—they are tools to restore balance in trade flows and fairness in the rules of global commerce. The true goal is not isolation, but strategic rebalancing: forcing countries that rely on trade surpluses and manipulated markets to internalize the costs of their distortive practices. Tariffs also incentivize the reshoring of American manufacturing, creating domestic demand for steel, semiconductors, autos, pharmaceuticals, and other key sectors critical for both national security and economic resilience.
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“People say manufacturing doesn’t matter anymore,” Lighthizer says. “But manufacturing employs 80% of our engineers, drives 90% of private R&D, and spins off high-quality jobs across communities. Without it, we can’t innovate. We can’t defend ourselves. And we can’t sustain the middle class.”
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While critics warn that tariffs risk sparking inflation or trade wars, Lighthizer dismisses these fears. He points to the previous Trump administration’s 2018-2019 tariffs, which were implemented without spiking inflation. He argues inflation is primarily a monetary phenomenon, and that restoring domestic production will enhance price stability over the long term by reducing reliance on volatile foreign supply chains.
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For Lighthizer, Trump’s second term represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rewrite the rules.
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“The goal isn’t punishment,” Lighthizer concludes. “It’s restoration. Restoration of dignity, prosperity, and hope for the people who built this country—and who deserve to see it work for them again.”

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