Trump's Tariff on China - what's the truth?

I am confused about Trump's tariff on Chinese goods. Trump declares that the tariffs are absorbed by the Chinese and that it has no effect on the American consumer. American retail companies say that this is not the case. Prominent economists from major banks and universities also say that this is not the case.

Retailers and economists agree that prices on the Chinese goods sold here in America will increase and this means more cost to the American consumer.

Trump says that both the retail industry and economists do not know what they are talking about. He has more expertise than these groups because he is a billionaire businessman and he knows how to make a deal ... and that millions of his MAGA followers agree with him.

I don't think that because his millions of followers support him that this negates what the American retailers and economists are claiming. Nor does it follow that just because one can make deals means that one is an expert with such complex subjects such as trade economics, market supply and international currency exchange.

Has our country finally reached the point that we believe a demagogue over facts coming from the evidence provided by experts?

If this is so, I'm genuinely concerned. This is beginning to take on more and more the aura of 1938 Germany.