Tariffs benefit the rulers. Hurt the citizens. But once the leaders start to get the inflow of cash from tariffs they get addicted to it. And it's hard to come back from.
USA's tit-for-tat tariff was intended to reduce tariff.
But instead has made USA implementing the largest one itself.
At first these were intended as temporary measure. But its here to stay. That's the new world order.
No matter how much our protectionists and activists hate WTO, trade benefits everyone. That's how civilizations advanced.