President Donald Trump is on the verge of imposing sweeping tariffs on America’s three biggest trading partners—Mexico, Canada, and China—marking a far more aggressive use of his preferred economic weapon than anything seen during his first term.

According to an analysis by Matt Egan for CNN, these looming import taxes will be a major test of Trump’s unconventional tariff strategy, which he has described as “the greatest thing ever invented.” However, while Trump sees tariffs as an economic tool, experts warn they could have serious consequences, potentially disrupting the economy and increasing the cost of living for American consumers.

Economists and market analysts fear that these tariffs could backfire by driving up already-high grocery prices, destabilising the stock market, and triggering job losses in the event of a full-blown trade war.

Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, expressed her concerns to CNN, saying, “This may be the biggest own-goal yet. This is a huge gamble. It’s a recipe for slowing down the economy and increasing inflation.”

Adding to the criticism, The Wall Street Journal published a scathing op-ed titled “The Dumbest Trade War in History,” arguing that Trump’s justification for an “economic assault” on Canada and Mexico “makes no sense” and warning that the strategy could end in disaster.

As Trump pushes forward with his tariff plans, the coming months will reveal whether this bold economic gamble will pay off—or prove to be a costly misstep for the U.S. economy.