Tariffs to replace income tax would cost far more than they save

Trump floated using tariffs to replace the income tax, but tariffs have never generated near enough revenue to substitute for tax income (roughly $195B in customs duties vs about $2.6T in income tax). Higher tariffs would shrink imports and push buyers to domestic substitutes, limiting revenue gains. Complicating the plan: IEEPA tariffs were overturned by the Supreme Court, and officials describe tariff revenue as a melting ice cube, making full replacement of income tax unlikely and potentially costly for consumers and the broader economy.