Source: Libertarian Institute
by Patrick Carroll
“It’s no secret that one of Donald Trump’s favorite U.S. presidents is William McKinley, who led the country from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Indeed, Trump recently changed the official name of Denali back to Mount McKinley in honor of the late president. In recent months, Trump has particularly emphasized McKinley’s protectionist policies, which Trump believes were a key part of America’s economic progress in the McKinley era. … The idea that tariffs historically helped spur American prosperity has become a common refrain for many in the Republican Party. And at first blush, it certainly seems plausible — the McKinley era witnessed a fair amount of protectionism alongside considerable economic growth. But there is a fatal flaw with this view, which has been pointed out most explicitly by Ludwig von Mises and his fellow Austrian economists.” (05/08/25)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/what-trump-misunderstands-about-william-mckinley