Opinion | Trump Says He Wants to Save the U.S. Auto Industry. His Policies Could Destroy It.

President Trump has created what could be called a Luddite trap for the American auto industry: His tariffs aim to protect it from foreign competition, while his domestic policies threaten to cut it off from innovation. Together, they risk leaving U.S. automakers isolated and incapable of competing on their own merits as foreign companies bolt ahead. The damage to our economy and national security could be profound. For over a century, the auto industry has been a cornerstone of America's industrial power: It revolutionized manufacturing with the assembly line, forged stronger forms of steel, aluminum and carbon fiber and drove…