Trump has argued that tariffs are an effective tool to incentivize manufacturing goods in the U.S. as well as protecting jobs and encouraging consumers to purchase domestic-made products. He’s also leveraged tariff increases to address the flow of illicit drugs and illegal immigrants across U.S. borders.

President Trump's sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries went into effect Thursday morning after the clock struck midnight, marking a historic escalation in global trade tensions. The big picture: After a lengthy delay,