President Trump speaks fondly of William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president who was a strong advocate for tariffs. He's credited with helping to protect the fledgling tinplate industry in the late 19th century. But did the tariff work? We take a closer look at McKinley's tinplate tariff and if it was worth the cost.

Related episodes on tariffs:
Trump threatens the grim trigger (Apple / Spotify)
Canada's key resource against Trump's possible trade war (Apple / Spotify)
Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)
Trump's contradictory trade policies (Apple / Spotify)
How Trump's tariff plan might work (Apple / Spotify)
Worst. Tariffs. Ever. (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy