Trump tariffs reshape global trade order with U.S. power at the center

Trump uses tariffs to assert American dominance in global trade, bypassing international norms and weakening congressional oversight.

President Donald Trump responds to a reporter’s question during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2025. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Over the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, his administration has launched an aggressive and sweeping overhaul of U.S. trade policy. The central theme: the Trump tariffs agenda is not only designed to bolster American industry, but to establish near-total U.S. control over global trade terms. In doing so, President Trump is moving to weaken the influence of international trade bodies, diminish congressional oversight, and consolidate power in the executive branch.

At the core of Trump’s strategy is a belief that access to the U.S. market—a consumer base unmatched in scale—is a strategic weapon, one he’s willing to use to bend other nations to his will. While the administration has publicly cited goals such as reducing trade deficits and bringing back manufacturing jobs, insiders acknowledge that a broader and more transformative ambition lies underneath: the assertion of American supremacy in writing the rules of international commerce.

“The United States not only can, but should use its unmatched economic leverage to dictate the terms of global trade,” said Nick Iacovella, executive vice president of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, an influential protectionist group advising the Trump administration. Michael Stumo, the group’s former CEO, now serves as head trade economist at the Office of Management and Budget.

A strategy of unilateralism

Trump’s trade policy is rooted in the belief that past administrations allowed the U.S. to be exploited by multilateral agreements and foreign competitors. His solution: a more unilateral approach that treats access to the U.S. economy as a privilege—not a right.

Iacovella explained, “He’s using that leverage to reorient the global trade system in favor of American workers and producers.” The administration argues that chronic trade deficits represent a national emergency, one that demands swift and decisive action—even if it means bypassing Congress and acting unilaterally.

“As commander in chief, it is President Trump’s duty to protect our nation’s economic and national security,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai. “The administration is committed to using every available executive power to achieve this, unbound by outdated, globalist ‘free’ trade organizations.”

Undermining Congress and international institutions

To achieve its objectives, the Trump administration has sought to neutralize any constraints—foreign or domestic—that could limit its ability to act. The World Trade Organization (WTO), once central to global economic cooperation, has been openly dismissed by Trump as an impediment to American progress. Trade pacts and multilateral institutions are now viewed as relics of a failed era.

Even more striking has been Trump’s determination to sideline Congress. In recent weeks, Senate Republicans narrowly defeated efforts to block Trump’s tariffs, including a 50-49 vote against reversing his so-called reciprocal levies. In the House of Representatives, GOP leadership has prevented such measures from reaching the floor altogether.

“Congress has, unique of the three branches, unilaterally disarmed and demonstrated itself unable and unwilling to check the executive,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) during floor debate over the tariffs.

Trump’s legal team has taken the position that courts also have no jurisdiction over his tariff actions. They argue that since Congress delegated emergency powers under a 1970s-era law, only the legislature—not the judiciary—can challenge Trump’s moves. This legal argument would further consolidate trade authority within the presidency.

Global allies respond with caution and concern

The administration’s aggressive use of Trump tariffs has unsettled U.S. allies and global trade partners. European Union Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis remarked, “What we are seeing from the Trump administration is much more unilateralism and moving away from engagement in international organizations, international structures.”

Countries targeted by Trump’s tariffs—including Colombia, Canada, and Mexico—have been warned not to retaliate, with promises of favorable treatment for those who comply. Trump’s message to them is simple: don’t fight back, and you’ll be rewarded.

This transactional, force-based diplomacy represents a profound shift in the global trade landscape, one that alarms many economists and foreign policymakers. Critics fear that such moves could drive nations closer to rivals like China, trigger global trade fragmentation, or even spark a recession.

Internal contradictions and shifting tactics

Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump’s approach to tariffs has not always been consistent. In recent weeks, he has paused certain levies—such as the 90-day delay on reciprocal tariffs—and even softened his position on proposed auto duties. These shifts suggest that Trump’s negotiating style remains fluid and reactionary, influenced by immediate political and economic concerns.

Still, Trump’s core strategy remains intact: to create a trade environment where the U.S. is the ultimate enforcer, policymaker, and beneficiary. His administration believes that decades of free trade agreements hollowed out American manufacturing and undermined national sovereignty. The new system he envisions would flip that model on its head.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R., Tenn.), a close Trump ally and former ambassador to Japan, supports this philosophy. “I think that as the largest economy in the world, as the country that has provided safe transit for trade that happens everywhere, we should be managing this,” he said.

The long game: redefining the global economy

In many ways, the Trump tariffs are just one tool in a larger agenda—an effort to remake the world economic order under American leadership. Whether this vision can be realized without triggering significant global blowback remains to be seen.

Critics warn that a purely unilateral approach may alienate allies, stoke trade wars, and strain the U.S. economy. Supporters counter that Trump’s boldness is exactly what’s needed to correct decades of economic imbalance and restore U.S. industrial strength.

Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: Trump is not merely tweaking trade rules. He is trying to redefine who gets to write them—and he intends that it will be America, with himself at the helm.