Trump claims tariffs ended eight wars, plans dividends for Americans
President Donald Trump asserts he has ended eight international conflicts using tariffs as a primary tool of leverage. Defending his strategy, he called tariffs a swift and powerful instrument for national security. He also proposed using the revenue to fund direct payouts, or "tariff dividends," to middle and lower-income Americans.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that his administration's use of trade measures and tariffs was instrumental in ending eight separate wars globally. Speaking to reporters upon arrival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Trump framed his tariff policy not just as an economic tool but as a decisive instrument of foreign policy and national security.
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Tariffs as a National Security Tool
Trump vigorously defended his approach, arguing it provides unparalleled strategic advantages. "This one is swift and very powerful," he stated, suggesting alternative methods would not offer "the same pure national security." Earlier, on his Truth Social platform, he elaborated that the tariff method currently under Supreme Court review is "far more direct, less cumbersome, and much faster," emphasizing that "speed, power, and certainty" are critical for lasting victory.
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Plan for Tariff Revenue: Debt and Dividends
When questioned about the use of tariff revenues, the President acknowledged they should contribute to paying down the national debt. However, he added that the government is "making so much money with tariffs" that it could also fund a "nice dividend to middle income people...and lower income people." This references his earlier proposal for "$2,000 tariff dividends" as direct payouts to most Americans, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated such benefits could take various forms beyond direct checks.
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Broader Implications of the Policy
The assertion that tariffs can end wars represents a significant and unconventional claim in international relations, elevating trade policy to a primary mechanism of conflict resolution. For nations engaged in trade with the US, including key partners like Türkiye, this stance underscores the potential for economic measures to be wielded as coercive diplomatic leverage, affecting global supply chains and bilateral relations.
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