Expert Warns: Tariffs on Allies Could Weaken America’s Security

On Monday, a U.S. expert urged President Donald Trump’s administration to exercise caution when imposing tariffs on allies. The expert warned that applying tariffs indiscriminately to both allies and competitors would weaken America’s economic position and jeopardize its security.

Cullen Hendrix, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics, presented this argument in a published article. He criticized Trump’s trade policy for failing to differentiate among allies, competitors, adversaries, and neutral nations.

The Trump administration has either implemented or threatened new tariffs on various trading partners. This strategy has raised concerns about potentially undermining the cohesion of the United States’ alliance network, especially as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate.

Hendrix stated, “Using tariffs against both allies and adversaries will leave the United States poorer and less secure. America’s security and prosperity are best served through strong alliances and predictable, rules-based trade relationships with our security partners.”

He added, “With more active armed conflicts than at any time since the Cold War and with the global economy remaining uncertain, this is clearly not the moment to further erode trust through sweeping tariffs. We need clear strategic messaging and tariff restraint, particularly towards our U.S. allies.”

The scholar emphasized that the United States reaps significant benefits from its alliances, including enhanced deterrence, improved defense capabilities, and forward-basing opportunities. He also noted the advantage of exclusive markets for U.S. weapons that are not available on the open market.

Despite these benefits, Hendrix pointed out that even U.S. allies have not been exempt from the Trump administration’s tariffs and tariff threats.

“While not all U.S. allies are equally aligned, imposing tariffs without regard for even our most steadfast partners undermines alliance cohesion,” he explained.

Moreover, Hendrix observed that expecting alliance partners to maintain high defense spending while simultaneously straining their economies with increased tariffs would be challenging, given budget constraints and commitments to social spending.

“Threatening and imposing tariffs on trading partners, including those with free trade agreements, already undermines trust in U.S. commitments,” he warned.

“Treating alliance partners as trade adversaries will exacerbate intra-alliance tensions, weaken collective deterrence, and create opportunities for potential adversaries—particularly China—to exploit these divisions.”

Hendrix proposed an alternative approach in which the United States would promote free trade with established security partners, using tariffs sparingly and only in targeted situations. (Yonhap)