1. The Noise vs The Reality Everyone seems to know what tariffs are. Some say they’re a tax. Others say they’re proof of strength. Lately, the word has been thrown around like a symbol of patriotism. But the truth is more complicated. A tariff is an economic tool. It can protect, pressure, or perform. How it’s used tells us a lot about what a country values — control, leverage, or optics. 2. What a Tariff Actually Is At its simplest, a tariff is a tax on imports . It’s been a