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President Biden’s trade policies faced sharp criticism this week after a top official struggled to defend the administration’s approach to tariffs. Fox News host Laura Ingraham blasted Biden’s team for refusing to admit former President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy worked. The clash comes as Trump’s new 10% baseline tariff on imports kicks in, sparking debates over economic sovereignty and American jobs.
Chamath Palihapitiya, a venture capitalist and former Democratic donor, slammed Biden’s handling of the U.S.-China trade war on “The Ingraham Angle.” He argued Trump’s tariffs forced China to take American demands seriously, while Biden’s flip-flopping weakened America’s position. Palihapitiya noted that Trump’s “America First” tariffs reshored manufacturing jobs and boosted key industries—a fact Biden officials now downplay.
The Biden administration inherited Trump’s tariffs but added new ones on Chinese steel, electric vehicles, and semiconductors in 2024. Critics say this created chaos. Prices for household goods and cars jumped, hitting low-income families hardest. A Yale study found Biden’s tariffs cost the average household $3,800 annually. Meanwhile, Trump’s updated 2025 tariff plan focuses on reciprocity, vowing to close the $1.2 trillion trade gap and secure supply chains.
Ingraham mocked Biden officials for clinging to “failed globalist policies” while Trump’s tariffs deliver results. She highlighted how Trump’s threat of 100% tariffs on Chinese semiconductors pressured Taiwan’s TSMC to expand U.S. chip production. This contrasts with Biden’s $6.6 billion handout to TSMC through the CHIPS Act—a move conservatives call wasteful and weak.
Democrats once called Trump’s tariffs reckless, but now mimic them. Biden’s 2024 tariffs on Chinese green tech aimed to protect U.S. solar and EV sectors, but critics say they backfired. Prices for renewable energy products soared, slowing adoption. Meanwhile, China flooded global markets with cheap goods, undermining Biden’s climate goals.
Trump’s 2025 tariff surge has already reshaped trade. Mexico and Canada face higher levies unless they renegotiate terms favoring U.S. workers. The EU and China retaliated, but Trump’s team argues short-term pain ensures long-term gain. “We’re done being everyone’s piggy bank,” said one Trump advisor. “If they won’t play fair, we won’t play at all.”
Palihapitiya warned that Biden’s mixed messaging confuses allies and emboldens China. “Trump’s toughness got respect,” he said. “Biden’s weakness gets exploited.” Polls show 62% of voters approve of Trump’s trade agenda, citing job growth and reduced reliance on foreign goods. Biden’s approval on trade sits at 39%, with swing states demanding change.
As the 2026 midterms loom, tariffs dominate the economic debate. Conservatives push for deeper cuts to Chinese imports and faster reshoring. Liberals warn of inflation but struggle to counter Trump’s populist appeal. With both sides now embracing tariffs, the real divide is over who can wield them effectively—and who’s too proud to admit Trump’s blueprint works.
