Oren Cass on the end of the free ride

For years, Oren Cass was a voice in the wilderness, calling for America to rebuild its industrial might and highlighting the central role tariffs would play in any serious plan. Today, his ideas have real traction. The Trump administration actively pursues policies his think tank, American Compass, helped shape. He joined me Friday to discuss the trade war and the path to a new American century.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Beltway Brief: These last few weeks have been a wild ride for tariffs in the United States. What do President Trump’s administration and the United States more broadly need to accomplish to show they’re serious about trying to reinvigorate the American industrial base and the American middle class?

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