Are Trump’s tariffs a negotiating tool? Depends on whom you ask

Businesses, consumers and foreign leaders are trying to assess just how set in stone President Trump’s tariffs are, as the administration and its allies send mixed signals about whether the measures are being used for leverage.

Some Trump allies touted the tariffs — which have led to a massive stock market selloff and heightened fears of a recession — as the latest move from a master dealmaker. The tariffs, they argue, will force other countries to change their practices in search of...