Tariffs are indeed taxes. A consumption tax that FAVORS US workers. Who better to pay taxes than the buyers of IMPORTED goods. Importation is wealth transfer out of the USA. It must be subjected to a duty.
I admit that I view tarriffs differently than taxes because you can avoid paying the “tax” to a degree by purchasing a product from another provider or country whereas a traditional tax doesn’t allow that, as it casts a wider net.