Tariff Policy "Trivialized," Trump Rewrites Trade Rules Over 50 Times in 100 Days

According to statistics from The Washington Post, since taking office on January 20, Trump administration officials have announced more than 50 new or revised tariff policies. Trump has signed over a dozen tariff-related executive orders, approximately one per week—one targeting Mexican drugs and immigration, another targeting Canada, and several others modifying previously issued executive orders. Some of his plans have been very short-lived: six of the president's tariff announcements (such as tariffs on dairy imports and Colombian trade) lasted no more than a week before being modified, with some lasting less than a day (the White House claims this is because they achieved the desired effect). It is difficult to say what results this policy turbulence has actually achieved. Economist Irwin, specializing in economic history at Dartmouth College, states that this volatility precisely reflects the difficulty of achieving goals in such a short time.