Ross Burkhart, professor of political science, was featured in an article by PolitiFact for his expertise on tariffs. The article evaluates a recent statement by the Trump administration’s Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, who stated that “tariffs are a tax cut for the American people.”
The article features several economists and political scientists who evaluated the statement for its validity, including Burkhart, who stated that the way the Trump administration explains tariffs as payments made by foreign governments is incorrect.
Burkhart explained that tariffs are paid by importing companies in the countries receiving the tariffed products. The companies then pass that payment on to consumers in higher priced imported products, he said.
Burkhart concluded that consumers will not experience a tax cut from tariffs being proposed and implemented by the Trump administration.