Briefing
Partisan Conflict Over Trade Policy
Abstract: The Trade Partisan Conflict Index (Trade-PCI) measures the intensity of partisan disagreement over trade policy at a monthly frequency (since 1981). Partisan conflict over trade reached its highest level on record in 2025, with the surge specific to trade rather than to a broader rise in political polarization. The Trade-PCI measures partisan conflict, not the realized effects of tariffs. Announced tariff rates far exceeded the duties actually collected, and their short-run effects on prices and employment were modest. However, disagreement this intense and persistent can weigh on long-horizon decisions, such as foreign direct investment into the U.S.
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https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/economic_brief/2026/eb_26-33
Description: Briefing
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Bibliographic Information
Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Part of Series: Richmond Fed Economic Brief
Publication Date: 2026-10-06
Volume: 26
Issue: 33