Stronger Border Starts With Stronger Trade Policy

Under President Trump’s leadership, America is done trading strength for dependency. For too long, we’ve relied on foreign markets for critical goods, watched our economy bleed from staggering trade deficits and left ourselves vulnerable to the whims of global competitors. The result: a weaker America with less leverage, mounting debt, and growing national security threats.

We need strength and leverage to protect our interests, and tariffs are a powerful tool to build both. President Trump understands this and is planting the seeds of trade reform, but their durability beyond the next few years depends on Congress. It’s time for Congress to step up and ensure these tools are used to defend our economy, secure our borders, and restore American strength.

A strong America starts with a strong economy. But we’re hemorrhaging cash. In 2024, we ran a $1.2 trillion trade deficit – money flowing out of America to support foreign industries, rather than our own. In China alone, we spent $295 billion more than we earned last year. That money strengthened China, the same nation whose intellectual property theft is costing us more than $225 billion every year. Meanwhile, their global trade surplus in goods has doubled in recent years to nearly $1 trillion. America’s wealth, instead of supporting America’s future, is being funneled into nations who make no secret of their rivalry with us.

It’s not just China. We’re running trade deficits with almost every country we do business with. Mexico, now our largest trading partner, posted a $172 billion trade surplus with us last year – more than double what it was during President Trump’s first term.

These aren’t the marks of balanced, reciprocal trade. They’re signs of an America in decline.

Tariffs can change that. When applied strategically, they level the playing field and bring foreign nations to the negotiating table. It’s working; Trump has said that more than 70 countries have already reached out, looking to negotiate trade terms.

Reducing our reliance on foreign trade empowers us to reclaim control over our economy, support American jobs, and generate revenue that can help tackle our ballooning $36.2 trillion national debt.

A more self-reliant economy doesn’t just make us wealthier – it makes us safer. COVID-19 taught us the danger of depending on foreign supply chains for critical goods like the active ingredients in the pharmaceuticals that keep many Americans healthy. We saw shortages, delays, and vulnerabilities exposed in real time. The pandemic showed us that national security begins with economic independence. Now we must implement that lesson and decrease our reliance on adversaries who use trade as a weapon.

Beyond the very real issue of balancing our national budget, a strong economy gives us greater global leverage to secure America’s best interests. We can use trade negotiations to encourage our neighbors to do their part in protecting their own borders. The threat of tariffs has pressured Mexico to agree to deploy 10,000 soldiers to its border to stop illegal immigrants and fentanyl from flooding our country. Canada has committed $1.3 billion to new border enforcement technology and personnel. Why? Because they want access to our markets. With the right policies in place, we can provide this access on our own terms while putting America first.

Tariffs are a key part of this strategy, giving us the leverage to push for stronger border enforcement and security measures that protect our communities and reduce illegal crossings. Revenue generated from tariffs can be used to help bolster our own border security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is tasked with stopping illegal immigrants and deadly drugs from entering our communities. Last year alone, CBP seized more than 21,000 pounds of fentanyl – enough to kill millions of Americans. But they need funding to keep protecting us. Tariffs are already generating an average of $200 million a day in additional revenue, a portion of which can be used to fund efforts to strengthen our national security. This revenue helps provide the resources the CBP needs, such as more agents, better technology, and improved infrastructure so they can continue to secure our borders effectively.

While it won’t be easy to undo years of weakening global power and poor economic decisions, it is vital that we do so to secure our nation’s future.

But President Trump’s best efforts to strengthen our nation will only be impactful if they are matched by his counterparts on Capitol Hill. Congress must take legislative action to protect our economy, our borders, and our citizens. If lawmakers do not step up to the plate and leverage this opportunity, they shirk their responsibility to President Trump, the American people, and this great nation.

Tariffs are here. They work. Now it’s up to Congress to use them with purpose. The future of American sovereignty depends on it.

This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.