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Fact check: Who are some economists who agree with tariffs
1. Summary of the results
Based on the comprehensive analysis of multiple sources, no economists who explicitly support or agree with tariffs were identified across any of the examined articles. The sources consistently feature economists who either criticize tariffs or discuss their negative economic impacts.
The analyses reveal several prominent economists who have commented on tariffs, but from a critical perspective:
- Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, discusses tariff impacts on the economy [1]
- John Silvia, CEO of Dynamic Economic Strategy, and Brad Jensen, professor at Georgetown University, discuss negative tariff impacts [2]
- Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at J.P. Morgan, and Bruce Kasman, chief global economist at J.P. Morgan, analyze potential tariff impacts [3]
- Robert Gulotty, Steven Durlauf, and Rodrigo Adão from University of Chicago provide tariff analysis without expressing support [4]
- Philip Luck, former deputy chief economist with the U.S. State Department, believes current tariff regimes don't make sense for industry growth [5]
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original question assumes that economists who support tariffs exist and can be readily identified, but the analyses reveal a significant gap in this assumption. The economic consensus appears heavily weighted against tariffs based on the sources examined.
*Missing perspectives include:
- **Historical economists** who may have supported protective tariffs in different economic contexts
- **Industry-specific economists** who might support targeted tariffs for strategic sectors
- **Economists from protectionist think tanks** or policy institutes who may advocate for tariff policies
- **International trade economists** who might support tariffs as negotiating tools or for national security reasons
The analyses focus primarily on mainstream economic commentary from major financial institutions and universities, potentially missing voices from:
- Conservative economic policy institutes
- Manufacturing industry economists
- Labor economists who might support tariffs for job protection
- Development economists who advocate for infant industry protection
**3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement**
The original question contains an implicit assumption that may not reflect economic reality. By asking "who are some economists who agree with tariffs," it presupposes that such economists exist in meaningful numbers within the profession.
Potential issues with the framing:*
- Selection bias: The question assumes pro-tariff economists are readily identifiable when the evidence suggests they may be rare or non-existent in mainstream economic discourse
- False balance: The phrasing implies there's a significant debate among economists about tariffs when the sources suggest overwhelming opposition or skepticism
- Confirmation bias risk: Someone asking this question might be seeking to validate pre-existing beliefs about tariff support among economists
The analyses consistently show that while President Donald Trump argues that tariffs will boost American manufacturing and protect jobs [6], this political position is not echoed by the economists quoted in the examined sources. This suggests a disconnect between political advocacy for tariffs and professional economic opinion.