Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, made another version of the argument at the White House last week, positing that dolls from China might have lead paint while dolls made in the U.S. would have higher environmental and regulatory standards. He predicted that most consumers would agree.

With so much talk of tariffs and continued uncertainty about what happens next, going solar-powered could soon be more costly than ever before.

But Trump’s tone, and that of his aides, has shifted notably in recent weeks, as they warn of sacrifice and “transition” until, by their telling, his heavy tariffs pave the