In addition to the other answer - it isn’t about hurting consumers. They don’t think that far ahead. They’re toddlers who can’t think past their immediate feelings.

It’s been proven time and again that republicans don’t care about the reality of a situation, only the feels they get about it. So making tariffs is a retaliatory maneuver that has absolutely no follow through - IOW, if you make tariffs against Chinese electric car imports the wise thing to do would be to boost US manufacture of the same with tax incentives or similar increase US buyers and manufacturers’ uptake of home-grown EVs. But that’s not what trump does.

That’s not what the people who voted for him want. They don’t govern. They want to punish everyone that ever slighted them, perceived or real.

They just lash out without a plan in an act of spite and revenge, and when the consequences come home to roost, like price hikes and increasing inflation, in true narcissist fashion, they yet again blame others and lash out more.

It’s a retaliatory tactic. If the US is reducing the incentive to do trade with Mexico, why should Mexico continue to allow trade with the US without penalty?

The US isn’t in the same economic position as it was 10-20 years ago, and countries have seen the crappy tactics Trump used last time he was in office. I’m sure they’re more willing to respond in kind or even cut ties this time if their relationships becomes more abusive.