Ready for War?
Plus: Trump's trade trouble, a long SOTU, and more gunboat diplomacy
Free Trade
In Tariffs Dissent, Clarence Thomas Embraced a Dangerous Theory of Executive Power
The conservative justice’s regrettable opinion in Learning Resources v. Trump.
Trump's Rationale for His New Tariffs Contradicts the Position He Took Before His Supreme Court Defeat
The president is relying on a provision that the government's lawyers said had no "obvious application" to his goal of reducing the trade deficit.
My New Dispatch Article on the Tariff Decision, its Implications - and a Key Issue the Court Did Not Resolve
The Court stopped a massive presidential power grab, but did not resolve a crucial issue about judicial review of executive use of emergency powers.
Trump's New Tariffs Are Probably Illegal Too
Attorneys for the Trump administration even admitted that Section 122 can't be applied to address trade deficits. Trump is now trying to do that anyway.
The Supreme Court Didn't Fully End the Trade War, but It Reinforced Limits on the Presidency
President Trump will undoubtedly keep trying to impose protectionism, but his options are limited.
My New Atlantic Article About Our Win in the Tariff Case
It covers many issues raised by the decision.
No More Tariffs on Asian Olympic Dragons!
Robby Soave and Jason Russell celebrate the SCOTUS tariff news before pivoting to the politics of the Winter Olympics.
Gorsuch Blasts Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh for Favoring Trump's Illegal Tariffs
What explains the fracture in the Supreme Court's "conservative bloc"?
A Note on Tariff Refunds
Thanks to our victory in the tariff case before the Supreme Court, businesses that paid billions of dollars in illegally collected tariffs can seek refunds. But the process may be difficult.
Trump Orders New 10 Percent 'Global Tariff' After Supreme Court's Rebuke
The new tariff will be implemented under a 1974 law that gives the president authority to impose tariffs for up to 150 days.
Small Business Owners Celebrate Supreme Court Striking Down Trump's Tariffs
The battle against the president's so-called reciprocal tariffs is won, but the war for free trade and a stable business environment continues.
Even Without the 'Emergency' Powers SCOTUS Rejected, Trump Has a Bunch of Tariff Options
There are many laws that explicitly authorize the president to impose taxes on imports, but they include limits that Trump was keen to avoid.
The Supreme Court Just Struck Down Trump's 'Emergency' Tariffs
"There is no exception to the major questions doctrine for emergency statutes," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts.
Supreme Court Decides Our Tariff Case - and We Won!
In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize tariffs.
Trump Said Tariffs Would Reduce the Trade Deficit. Instead, It Hit a Record High in 2025.
It's a good thing that trade deficits aren't actually a national emergency.
The World Has Turned and Left Me Here
Plus: Tariffs, tariffs, and even more news about tariffs! And George W. Bush has some interesting thoughts about George Washington.
The E.U. Wants 'Deforestation-Free' Products. Consumers May Pay the Cost.
In its effort to protect global forests, the E.U. is imposing complex tracking requirements that could raise prices and create new trade hurdles.
The Cowardice of the Republican 'Tariff Skeptics'
Finally given a chance to influence trade policy, the vast majority of House Republicans decided it was more important to keep President Donald Trump happy.
The U.S. House Just Voted To Stop Trump's 'Emergency' Tariffs on Imports From Canada
But the numbers are a long way from a veto-proof majority, so Wednesday's vote may be a purely symbolic victory for free traders.
Trump Imposed 39 Percent 'Emergency' Tariffs When Switzerland Hurt His Feelings
The story is an exercise in pettiness but also a perfect reason why Congress and the Supreme Court should limit the president's power grab.
The House Just Reclaimed Its Tariff Power From Trump. Now Congress Can Try To Strike Down His Canada Tariffs.
Three Republicans defected to vote down an arcane procedural rule that would have made it impossible for the House to vote on Trump’s tariffs until August.
Tariff-ied
Plus: An immigration court drops Rumeysa Ozturk's deportation case, Buddhist monks complete their "walk for peace," previously classified Nixon grand jury testimony is released, and more...
Most Americans Hate Trump's Tariffs
A new poll finds that even white men without college degrees, a key voting constituency for Trump, don’t approve of the president’s handling of the economy.
Trump Claims His Tariffs Have 'Brought America Back.' Here Are 3 Things He Got Wrong.
The president's article in The Wall Street Journal is wildly misleading.
Trump's Tariff War Is Crushing American Alcohol Makers
A Canadian boycott and retaliatory trade barriers have wiped out U.S. wine and spirits sales abroad, costing American producers jobs, revenue, and entire export markets.
Free Nations Don't Have To Care About the Whims of Elected Officials
Limited government means those in power can do limited damage to the rest of us.
Bessent Says Construction Jobs Are Booming Under Trump's Tariffs. Government Data Show the Opposite.
Meanwhile, Trump is touting low gas prices, which are due in part to the lack of tariffs on oil and gasoline.
The Book That Explains the Heritage Foundation Meltdown
Staffers say they were told that if they couldn't agree with these ideas they should leave. Many have.
The Greenland Fiasco Shows the Stock Market Is the Ultimate Check on Trump
Economic globalization and financial markets encourage the "Trump always chickens out" (TACO) cycle. If you like peace, that’s a good thing.
Mike Johnson Says He Has 'No Intention' of Letting Congress Vote on Trump's Tariffs
A House rule prohibiting tariff resolutions from coming to the floor will expire at the end of the month and is unlikely to be renewed.
Trump Threatens NATO Members With Tariffs Paid Almost Entirely by Americans
Threatening European allies to further tax American citizens is unlikely to persuade them to surrender Greenland to the United States.
Yes, the Middle Class Is Shrinking—Because It's Moving Up
The real squeeze comes from government-distorted markets, not economic decline.
American Quartz Manufacturers Want To Make Kitchen Countertops Even More Expensive
Their trade group filed a petition asking the government to impose quotas and a 50 percent tariff on all imported quartz.
Trump 2.0, Year 1: A Libertarian Nightmare
Trump's second term lurches forward, powered by monarchical authoritarianism
Elon Musk Said Rand Paul Is the One Person in Washington Who 'Gets It'
In an interview with Reason, CNN's Scott Jennings recounts the conversation he had with the tech entrepreneur about his distaste for exorbitant government spending.
Trump Wants To Seize Greenland Because He Doesn't Understand Trade
Presidents should try to nudge the world toward more trade and less war whenever possible. Trump is doing the opposite.
The Big Lesson of the 2020s? Don't Ignore the Economists.
From COVID-19 lockdowns to Biden's inflation and Trump's tariffs, bad things have happened when economics are sidelined in policymaking.
The Real Reason Golden Ages Collapse—and How the U.S. Can Avoid It
Past societies tried to regulate their way to stability. But it came at a great cost.
What the Media Didn't Tell You in 2025
The Reason editors examine the most underreported stories of 2025 across politics, economics, global affairs, and culture.
The Most Overlooked Holiday Miracle: Abundance
History shows clearly that the societies most capable of generosity and liberalism are not those trapped in poverty but those that have escaped it.
How Tariffs and Inflation Are Hitting Holiday Sweets
The Trump administration’s trade war has made home-baked and store-bought treats more expensive.
Trump's Economic Adviser Says Tariff Refunds Would Be 'Very Complicated' and Unlikely
Oh, so now the Trump administration is worried about the complexity of its tariff polices?
Tariffs Are Leaving Fewer Footballs, Golf Clubs, and Toys Under the Christmas Tree
Plus: College Football Playoff complaints and an awful NFL officiating blunder.
More Republican Socialism
The Trump administration has not made a convincing case for why it is buying stakes in these companies—and why these companies in particular, rather than others.
Trump Said His Tariffs Would Reduce the Trade Deficit and Bring Back Manufacturing. Here's What the Data Show.
These metrics are bad proxies for prosperity, but they reveal just how flawed the president's arguments have been.
Trump Says Tariffs Have Brought in $18 Trillion. That's Impossible.
The tariffs have generated less than $300 billion in new tax revenue, and other claimed investments don't come close to the president's tally.
Trump Says China Didn't Buy Soybeans While Biden Was President. Here's What the Data Show.
American farmers exported more than 26 million metric tons of soybeans to China annually during Biden's term. Trump's deal with China would cover less than half that amount.
