Let’s not sugarcoat it: America has been getting played for decades. Our jobs? Shipped overseas. Our factories? Boarded up. Our communities? Hollowed out. And the worst part? The very people who sold us out to China still pretend like they know what’s best for us. But Gen Z sees through the lies. We’ve lived through the consequences of unchecked, unfettered globalism and frankly, we’re not interested in being polite about it anymore. That’s why we’re standing up for something the media and the elites love to hate: tariffs. Not because they’re fashionable—but because they work. And nobody proved that more than President Donald Trump this past week.  When Trump walked into the Oval Office, he didn’t play by the rules of the D.C. establishment. He brought “The Art of the Deal” to the global stage. He made it clear: The era of America getting ripped off was over. And guess what? The world listened. Just look at the results. Over 70 countries folded under the pressure of Trump’s tariff threats. Why? Because for the first time in modern history, America had leadership that knew how to negotiate. Leadership that understood leverage. And leading the charge behind the scenes? Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—a name every young American should know. Bessent brought brains, backbone, and a no-nonsense strategy to the trade table. While the Washington swamp cried foul, he went to work—using Trump’s “America First” mandate to put real pressure on our so-called trading partners. And it paid off. The same countries that used to walk all over us? They backed down. They made concessions. They bent the knee—not because we begged—but because we led with strength. But this isn’t just about trade deficits or balance sheets. It’s about sovereignty. It’s about security. And it’s about holding China accountable—not just for its economic games and trade manipulation but for its direct role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that’s ravaging our generation. Let’s be blunt: China is exporting poison into our communities. The Chinese Communist Party turns a blind eye while these chemicals pour into Mexico and across our border, killing Americans by the tens of thousands. That’s not competition. That’s warfare. And we’re done pretending otherwise. So no, tariffs aren’t just a policy tool—they’re a moral line in the sand. They say: We value American jobs, American lives, and American strength more than we value cheap goods and Wall Street profit margins. Gen Z is the generation that grew up watching American decline—but we’re also the generation that’s going to reverse it. We want a country that builds again. That defends itself again. That negotiates like Trump, governs like Trump, and wins like Trump. And yes—we want leaders like Scott Bessent, Peter Navarro, and Howard Lutnick in the room, making deals that put the American worker first. Because that’s the future we’re fighting for: one where America doesn’t bow, doesn’t apologize, and doesn’t lose. So, to Washington: Get on board or get out of the way. Targeted, measured tariffs work. Trump proved it. Now it’s time to finish the job. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post The Gen Z Case for Tariffs appeared first on The Daily Signal.