On February 10, President Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports. Legally, Trump is within his rights to do so, as Congress gave the President the power to set tariffs. However, the Constitution of the United States places the power to impose tariffs in the hands of the Legislative Branch. The President’s capricious application of tariffs demonstrates why Congress needs to guard this authority more jealously.Yet, tariffs are not cure all Trump claims they are. Since tariffs are a tax they increase the price of whatever good they are placed on, in this case, steel and aluminum. Despite protests to the contrary, consumers bear the cost of tariffs overwhelmingly. For the manufacturing sector, a supposed beneficiary of tariffs, steel tariffs could be crippling.

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