Tariffs’ Messy Reality: The Cost-of-Living Election | Part 1: Ohio

On the campaign trail and from the Oval Office, President Trump billed tariffs as a means to reclaim America’s historic role as a manufacturing powerhouse. But more than a year since his imposition of significant import taxes, the benefits are uncertain. Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. have fallen by about 100,000, or roughly 0.6%, since the start of Trump’s second term. For our special What’s News series The Cost-of-Living Election, WSJ national politics reporter Sabrina Siddiqui met union workers, manufacturing executives and everyday voters in and around Cleveland, Ohio, to uncover what tariffs mean for the economy and the state’s upcoming primary elections. She then explores the potency of tariffs as a political issue with reporters Aaron Zitner and Gavin Bade.