IMO its interesting to look at the UK's use of import tariffs to protect its manufacturing in the 20th C rather than improve efficiency and productivity.
Of course it all crashed in the early 1970s when the local manufacturers were exposed to European competition when the UK joined the EEC. This , IMO was the death knell of the British Empire with the demise of trade having happened over 50 years due to 2 World Wars.
IMO the US is now going through a similar demise as evidenced by its need to erect trade barriers to protect its manufacturing , like those of the UK. This is obviously a temporary remedy and if US manufacturing fails to modernise, then IMO, like that of the UK, it will die.
Apart from protecting the US EV manufacturing, import tariffs have also been levied on other hi-tech products and services presumably to protect Silicon Valley. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out, IMO.
