Harris and Trump have very different views on the future of the United States, with positions on issues such as abortion, tax cuts and foreign policy. However, the two presidential candidates are similar on one issue: protectionism. Trump has proposed a 10% to 20% tariff on the vast majority of imported goods. Harris' campaign team also said that she would "take targeted and strategic tariffs to support American workers, strengthen the economy, and make our opponents pay."

The two men's agreement on the issue is not surprising. Over the past decade, protectionism has enjoyed bipartisan support.

According to Biden, Harris and Trump, such restrictions protect American industries from foreign competition. They argue that tariffs can strengthen national security, promote economic growth and restore blue-collar jobs they say have been lost to import competition.

But politicians are wrong to believe that protectionism is good for job creation. A new study of recent trade and employment data shows that Chinese exports to the United States have long been no longer a factor affecting U.S. manufacturing jobs. The loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs stopped after the 2000s—long before Washington began imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. Between 2011 and 2018, U.S. manufacturing employment remained stable even as imports from China continued to grow.

During his term as president, Trump imposed tariffs on goods exported to the United States from China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union. The tariffs caused U.S. imports to fall, but exports also fell. As it turns out, the “China shock” ended before Trump took office. Imports from China have no significant impact on U.S. employment.

has found that imports have made a positive contribution to U.S. manufacturing employment. From 2011 to 2019, imports from emerging economies such as Brazil and India created nearly 500,000 jobs in the United States.

Trade helps create jobs in the United States, which is good news for American workers and for foreign workers who produce goods for export to the U.S. This means that when the United States participates in global trade, everyone wins.

Some scholars and officials, while acknowledging that tariffs would have a negative impact on the economy, still argue that they are necessary for national security. They say Washington must specifically cut trade with China to avoid aiding Beijing's rise and ensure that the United States never becomes dependent on imports from China.

But tariffs are not a silver bullet for addressing national security concerns. In fact, across-the-board tariffs could make the United States less secure. Trade wars are destabilizing. Trade in goods and services helps promote peace by connecting economies and requiring cooperation. Severing or weakening these links increases the risk of conflict.

Washington should therefore take a different tack. Rather than pursuing protectionist policies, it should focus on reducing barriers and strengthening global economic ties. It should prioritize finding ways to ensure that all Americans benefit from globalization.