Protectionism can probably be done right, but this isn't it. I think the US will fall further behind and so will it's "green" transition (especially if Tesla actually implodes and takes its vendors with it).
I also know that the US is not going to push back against consumerism, so it doesn't matter how many products like cars that they make more efficient - they will always want more. And also that EV adoption enables the US to continue ignoring public transportation.
Maybe the tariffs will kill US industry in a state of climate chaos where it can't recover, and this is the degrowth we've been asking for all along?
This is so sad. They didn't used to do this. They seem to think humanity is at war with them and are fighting back. This is the canary in the coal mine dying, but for our oceans.