[ernie]

Putting tariffs on domestically based companies to import goods they made elsewhere in the long run is simply going to lead to an outflow of those head offices and businesses. Some that have to stick around will...like the US based car companies as the US market is their major market. But in all sort of other industries the established guys will just jettison the US market or take the hit and move elsewhere. Then you'll fill the vacuum with locally run companies that produce an inferior product. Soon the US will be filled with their version of the Lada for every consumer product.

Well probably not, but in the end government actively over-threatening companies with tariffs and sanctions rarely works out.

Put a tariff on goods made in Mexico and China the companies move production to Argentina and Brazil. Put a tariff on those countries and they move to the next (and likely) lower cost alternative. Etc etc etc. There will almost always be a place that can manufacture the could cheaper such that the tariff has little effect. It may work short term as companies take time to pivot but it won't work long term. Meanwhile domestic consumer see increased inflation because the company sure as hell is going to pass the tariff onto the customer.