Renowned political commentator Fareed Zakaria has raised concerns about the U.S. becoming the most tariff-imposing country globally. He states that the current American tariff rates are the highest in nearly a century, surpassing those of all other major economies. Zakaria calls this trend the start of “slowbalisation”—not the end of globalization, but a significant slowdown caused by rising protectionism, selective trade deals, and political interference in economic decisions.

In a conversation with political scientist Ian Bremmer, Zakaria explained this shift as a backlash to decades of global interdependence, rapid tech-driven disruption, and cultural shifts. He emphasized that trade is becoming more politicized, where national security and geopolitical strategy are starting to outweigh pure economic logic.

The implications of this trend are far-reaching: U.S. consumers may face higher prices and fewer choices, while businesses navigate operational inefficiencies due to new trade restrictions. Globally, countries are reevaluating trade relationships and creating new corridors away from U.S.-centric systems. Although alternatives like Vietnam are emerging, they lack the scale to fully replace long-standing U.S.–China supply chains.