Conservative Tariff Consensus is Real
The American conservative movement now clearly backs tariffs.
This shift isn’t new; we’ve talked about it before. In the postwar era, the conservative movement was largely pro-free trade, much like the Republican Party, which served as its primary political arm. Yet today, opposition to tariffs seems to be limited to just a small portion of conservatives and Republicans.
A recent YouGov survey indicated that two-thirds of registered Republicans believe tariffs should either remain high or be increased even further. Specifically, 28% want an increase, while 38% are satisfied with current levels. Only 17% think tariffs should be reduced. Trump supporters mirror this sentiment: 68% say tariffs should stay the same or go up, with 31% advocating for an increase.
Support for President Donald Trump’s tariffs has risen since early April during Emancipation Day. At that time, 61% of Republicans and 66% of Trump supporters felt tariffs should either be raised or left unchanged. The breakdown then showed that 43% wanted an increase, while 16% thought tariffs should be lowered.
Interestingly, backing for higher tariffs has grown since the beginning of Trump’s presidency. In a poll from mid-February, only 24% of Republicans wanted tariffs raised, while 30% preferred to keep them the same. A quarter were in favor of lowering them. Among Trump supporters, the numbers were somewhat similar: 24% aimed for an increase, 34% wanted to maintain current levels, and 23% called for a reduction.
These polls indicate a significant rise in support for Trump’s tariffs and a decrease in the desire for tariff cuts over the past year. More Republicans and Trump supporters seem content with the current levels. A lot of them believe Trump primarily made the right decision in enforcing these tariffs, and, remarkably, opposition to them has diminished.
Tariffs Have Become Conservative Orthodoxy
The YouGov survey also asked Americans to weigh in on the political implications of supporting tariff increases. About 60% believe this position aligns with conservatism, while 7% identified it as liberal, 17% as neutral, and 15% were unsure.
What’s even more compelling is that a larger proportion of self-identified conservatives agree with this viewpoint—69% say supporting increased tariffs is indeed a conservative stance, and 71% of Trump voters share that belief.
This offers a rare area of common ground between conservatives and liberals: 68% of the latter group also view support for tariff hikes as a conservative position, a sentiment echoed by 71% of those who voted for Harris, similar to Trump voters.
The Republican Party seems somewhat unique here; those who identify as conservative show even stronger support for raising tariffs at 59%. Moderates and independent registrants also agree—57% and 56% respectively believe supporting higher tariffs aligns with conservative values.
All these statistics suggest that backing tariffs is no longer a fringe aspect of conservative ideology or an anomaly within mainstream Republican politics. The cause of tariffs is now deeply rooted in conservatism itself; in essence, supporting tariffs has become a key conservative principle. The Republican Party has effectively become the party of tariffs.
Interestingly, this represents a return to older principles that had been largely marginalized. As I noted back in July:
From President Abraham Lincoln to President William McKinley to President Calvin Coolidge, the Republican Party was known for its pro-tariff stance. Tariffs not only shielded American workers but also fueled the federal government while fostering the creation of an industrial powerhouse. Between 1860 and 1930, Republicans clinched 13 out of 15 presidential elections. The only times Democrats triumphed—under Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson—were during periods of a divided Republican Party. During that time, the U.S. transitioned from an agricultural economy to become a global manufacturing leader, with tariffs funding American growth.
Abe Lincoln famously said in 1844, “Give us a protective tariff, and we will have the greatest nation on earth.” For nearly a century after that, Republicans and conservatives largely agreed. Now, the party and the movement have come full circle, finding common ground in the belief that tariffs can indeed help make America great again.
