That's basically what happened in the early 2000s when the U.S. imposed a tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. With the tariff in place, the big Canadian lumber producers changed their operations to run more efficiently, so they were still able to sell lumber cheaper than their U.S. competitors even with the tariff in place.
As is often the case, a tariff ends up simply protecting a domestic industry that is too outdated or lazy to compete on its own.
But even in this example the tariff produced a beneficial out come. A more efficient system. Again another win for tariffs!
They can if they wish anyway, and do now. Many of the nations we trade with have extensive barriers to protect their domestic economies.
“As is often the case, a tariff ends up simply protecting a domestic industry that is too outdated or lazy to compete on its own.”
Or, to protect domestic industry from competition by state-owned and supported work forces that are paid pennies on the hour by their slavemasters, which is even more often the case.
That's the 1970's American auto and steel industries described to a nicety.
Lazy, incompetent workers, unions and management who produced a crap product at too high a price because there was no competition to keep them on their toes.
Exactly what we would get if we brought back high tariffs.