Economics

America not only doesn't have the means, because of the tariffs it can no longer get the means. Manufacturing requires a lot of heavy industrial equipment that - surprise, surprise - isn't made in the US.

But to say that Trump's goal is to move production back to the US is almost giving him too much credit. He doesn't really have a clear idea of what his goal is. Depending on the moment it changes, and the various goals he suggests are all contradictory; each one can only happen without the others. He says he's imposing tariffs to move manufacturing home, but that only works if the tariffs are set to last a long time. But he also says he's making deals, and that only works if the tariffs will be removed as part of the conclusion of the deal. And he says that the tariffs will replace taxes, but that only works if the tariffs are permanent, and imports remain at their current levels rather than manufacturing moving back to the US. For any one of those claims to be true, the other two can't be.

There is no plan here. He just likes the idea of tariffs, because he has only ever understood the world through the lens of power; of dominating or being dominated. Tariffs feel big and muscular, like throwing punches but with money. That's why he wants them. The rest is just excuses. It's really all about his crippling insecurity, and the entire American right being in his thrall.