(NewsNation) — Although fentanyl coming into the United States is a problem, the tariffs President Donald Trump touted during his joint address to Congress this week are not the way to solve it, former national security adviser John Bolton says.
Trump announced 25% taxes on Mexican and Canadian imports and doubled a tariff on China, making it 20%.
“If in fact we are about to get into a trade war with all three, we may find it’s a lot easier to get in than to get out,” Bolton said on “Morning in America” on Thursday.
The tariffs, Trump has said, are aimed at stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and ending trade deficits.
“Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. And it’s happening, and it will happen rather quickly,” Trump said during his address Tuesday.
Although the president acknowledged there “will be a little disturbance,” he said, “we’re OK with that.”
“Let’s be clear, foreigners don’t pay the tariffs,” Bolton said. “American importers pay the tariffs and then do everything they can to pass that cost on to American consumers. I don’t think many people voted for Donald Trump for a hidden tax increase.”
While there are “imperfections” in how trade is conducted with Canada, China and Mexico, Bolton said tariffs are not the way to fix the problem.
“Do you deal with them by slapping your best friend to the north and your best friend to the south around publicly?” Bolton asked. “I don’t think so.”