The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover
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Fact: The last president to defend a general tariff increase: Herbert Hoover. THE NUMBERS: Incumbent party losses – 1930 2026 House -49 -45? Senate -5 -8? Governors -9 -5? WHAT THEY MEAN: Poli sci pioneer E.E. Schattschneider’s “Politics, Pressures, and the Tariff,” a 1935 study
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- XLI Industrial Select Sector SPDR-0.3% 30d
Industrial Select Sector SPDR: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
- XRT SPDR S&P Retail ETF
SPDR S&P Retail ETF: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
- CAT Caterpillar-23.2% 30d
Caterpillar (construction machinery and equip): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
- DE Deere-2.9% 30d
Deere (farm machinery and equipment): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
- WMT Walmart+12.9% 30d
Walmart (variety stores): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
- GM General Motors+2.0% 30d
General Motors (motor vehicles and passenger car bodies): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLI | -1.66% | -2.29% | base | -1.11% | after close | after close | after close |
| XRT | -2.30% | -0.06% | base | +5.53% | after close | after close | after close |
| CAT | +14.53% | -0.17% | base | -5.22% | after close | after close | after close |
| DE | -3.81% | +1.40% | base | +1.55% | after close | after close | after close |
| WMT | -4.79% | -1.04% | base | +3.54% | after close | after close | after close |
| GM | -6.59% | -1.05% | base | +4.64% | after close | after close | after close |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover Progressive Policy Institute
Source: Progressive Policy Institute
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) since this story, compared with the market
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar (CAT) | that day | -5.22% | final price |
| Caterpillar (CAT) | three days earlier | -0.17% | final price |
| Caterpillar (CAT) | five days earlier | +14.53% | final price |
| Deere (DE) | that day | +1.55% | final price |
| Deere (DE) | three days earlier | +1.40% | final price |
| Deere (DE) | five days earlier | -3.81% | final price |
| General Motors (GM) | that day | +4.64% | final price |
| General Motors (GM) | three days earlier | -1.05% | final price |
| General Motors (GM) | five days earlier | -6.59% | final price |
| Walmart (WMT) | that day | +3.54% | final price |
| Walmart (WMT) | three days earlier | -1.04% | final price |
| Walmart (WMT) | five days earlier | -4.79% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) | that day | -1.11% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) | three days earlier | -2.29% | final price |
| Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) | five days earlier | -1.66% | final price |
| Spdr Series Trust (XRT) | that day | +5.53% | final price |
| Spdr Series Trust (XRT) | three days earlier | -0.06% | final price |
| Spdr Series Trust (XRT) | five days earlier | -2.30% | final price |
Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Lisa McClain bought Caterpillar (CAT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 28 Sep 2026. That is 37 days before publication. Filed 12 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Walmart (WMT) (held by a spouse), worth $50,001 - $100,000 on 2 Oct 2026. That is 33 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Jonathan Jackson sold Walmart (WMT) (jointly held), worth $50,001 - $100,000 on 28 Sep 2026. That is 37 days before publication. Filed 19 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna bought Walmart (WMT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 25 Sep 2026. That is 40 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, sold General Motors (GM), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 24 Aug 2026. That is 72 days before publication. Filed 8 Oct 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
Who gains and who loses around Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI)
Companies tied to this story
- XLI Select Sector Spdr Tr
In “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover,” Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Industrial Select Sector SPDR: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
- XRT Spdr Series Trust
Spdr Series Trust (XRT) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover.” Reason on file: SPDR S&P Retail ETF: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
- CAT Caterpillar
Caterpillar (CAT) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover.” Reason on file: Caterpillar (construction machinery and equip): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
- GM General Motors
General Motors (GM) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 4 Nov 2026 story “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover.” Reason on file: General Motors (motor vehicles and passenger car bodies): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
- DE Deere
For “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover,” Deere (DE) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Deere (farm machinery and equipment): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
- WMT Walmart
In “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover,” Walmart (WMT) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Walmart (variety stores): importers and exporters pay or lose sales when tariffs change. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI)
On 4 Nov 2026, “The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover” is the story that connects Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) to this story.
The link for Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) is this: Industrial Select Sector SPDR: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
Also listed, Spdr Series Trust (XRT): SPDR S&P Retail ETF: it holds companies hit by import costs and trade rules. Linked by “tariff” (tariffs and trade) in this story
Dates in the story, and the Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI) price range
CAT traded between 609.97 and 844.69 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 623.81. XLI traded between 163.00 and 172.33 across 20 sessions. The latest close on file is 169.73.
A simple score for Select Sector Spdr Tr (XLI)
46 out of 100
“The Last President to Defend a General Tariff Increase: Herbert Hoover” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 6 linked companies.