More like, *steal* tariff, forcing American manufacturers who used steal as an input to pay higher-than-necessary prices -- costs that they passed on to us consumers and, of course, that made their products less competitive internationally.
He instituted a steel tarriff to protect American steel companies that were going bankrupt.
The alternative is to bring in cheap imports that run American companies out of business. The correct thinking was there - also if we put tarriff’s on Chinese goods, all things from China would be more expensive with the idea of putting American workers in manufacturing jobs. Yes, we’d have to pay higher prices for American goods but theoretically would raise wages all around. Who knows the answer?
“The temporary tariffs of 8–30% were originally scheduled to remain in effect until 2005. They were imposed to give U.S. steel makers protection from what a U.S. probe determined was a detrimental surge in steel imports. More than 30 steel makers had declared bankruptcy in recent years. Steel producers had originally sought up to a 40% tariff. Canada and Mexico were exempt from the tariffs because of penalties the United States would face under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Additionally, some developing countries such as Argentina, Thailand, and Turkey were also exempt. The typical steel tariff at the time was usually between zero and one percent, making the 8-30% rates seem exceptionally high. These rates, though, are comparable to the standard permanent U.S. tariff rates on many kinds of clothes and shoes.” This is rom Wikipedia 2002 United States Steel Tarriff