Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that President Trump’s tariffs aim to “reorder the American economy” to benefit “working-class citizens.” He made this statement in an April 6 post on X.
“We must reorder the American economy to work for the masses of working-class citizens,” said Cortes, Founder of League of American Workers. “In 2024: RECORD EUROPEAN VACATIONS for well-off Americans. also… RECORD FOOD BANK VISITS across America. This divergence is unsustainable!”
President Trump’s administration has implemented tariffs intended to protect American industries and bolster domestic employment, particularly benefiting the working class. According to the White House, a 25% tariff on steel imports was reinsaid, and tariffs on aluminum were elevated to shield these critical sectors from unfair foreign competition. This move received praise from industry leaders, with the Steel Manufacturers Association and the Aluminum Association supporting the measures. Robert Simon, CEO of JSW Steel USA, expressed that this will help “flood the U.S. with jobs as trading partners move their industries to U.S. soil to avoid tariffs.”
Cortes noted a “divergence” in the American economy in his post on X. In 2024, he observed that a record number of Americans took European vacations while simultaneously a record number visited food banks.
According to the Wall Street Journal, on April 7, 2025, President Trump announced plans to impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods if China does not withdraw its recently announced 34% tariff on U.S. imports. This ultimatum follows a series of reciprocal tariff increases between the two nations. Trump said that all discussions concerning China’s requests for meetings would be terminated unless China retracts its tariff increase by April 8, with new U.S. tariffs set to take effect on April 9 if demands are not met.
Economist Oren Cass commented on ForeignPolicy.com that tariffs have a role in revitalizing American manufacturing and addressing free trade’s shortcomings. Cass argued that traditional economic models predicting universal benefits from free trade have not materialized as expected since China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. He believes these models failed to account for adverse effects on domestic industries and workers, leading to a decline in U.S. manufacturing capabilities. By implementing tariffs, Cass asserts that the U.S. can correct these imbalances, support domestic production, and enhance national security.
Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group and senior political advisor to Catholic Vote according to Cortes Investigates. He is also a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance and was previously a commentator for Fox News and CNN.
