Podcast: The Politics of a Pandemic with Sen. Chris Coons

“Even in a year of historically high U.S. tariffs, we're still importing tons of goods—really inflation-adjusted records,” he notes. American companies continue investing abroad, foreign companies invest in the US, and interest in global cultures and cuisines remains strong. Paul Krugman adds that while people may say they oppose free trade in theory, tariffs themselves are wildly unpopular. “People really don't like what the tariffs actually do,” he says, noting that imports remain essential to daily life, from food to consumer goods.

Lincicome points out that while Americans may say they want to buy domestic products, support collapses when it comes with a price premium. “Nationalism is about an inch deep,” he says. Many Americans, he argues, don’t think deeply about trade issues; instead, their opinions often reflect partisan signaling rather than actual preferences. Together, Bremmer, Lincicome, and Krugman explore the disconnect between political discourse and the realities of globalization in today’s US economy.