Economist Michael Strain on Tariffs, Trade Gaps, and Global Power Dynamics

In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imransits down with Michael Strain, professor at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, for a deep conversation on U.S. trade policy. Together, they explore the implications of tariffs, how global manufacturing and employment trends have evolved, and why common narratives around outsourcing and trade deficits may miss the mark. Michael challenges widely held beliefs on American manufacturing decline, discusses the politicalversus economic weight of trade debates, and offers perspective on strategic reshoring of critical industries. The two also probe market reactions, including bond yields and currency movements, and the potential fallout of ongoing trade tensions.