Peterson Institute for International Economics Issues Commentary: Why the Founding Fathers Did Not Give the President the Power to Impose Tariffs
July 08, 2026
July 08, 2026
WASHINGTON, July 8 -- The Peterson Institute for International Economics issued the following commentary on July 7, 2026, by senior research staffer Alan Wm. Wolff:
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Why the Founding Fathers did not give the president the power to impose tariffs
here is no inherent presidential tariff power. That is solely the prerogative of the Congress. This has been true since the country was founded 250 years ago. The president has only what the Congress decides to . . .
* * *
Why the Founding Fathers did not give the president the power to impose tariffs
here is no inherent presidential tariff power. That is solely the prerogative of the Congress. This has been true since the country was founded 250 years ago. The president has only what the Congress decides to . . .