The question is what percentile fraction of the budget should come from that.
If it’s too high, the FedGov will do all it can to sabotage domestic industry and bring in more foreign goods so they can collect the duties.
If too low, it’s irrelevant and of course will do nothing to protect domestic industry.
But you won’t get any argument from me that a protective import tax is beneficial. It’s just one element of a better taxation system then the current Marxist abomination. The question is, what’s the level?
Ideally, the country’s finances should be run just like any financially successful household runs their finances - by not overspending beyond their means.
If that had happened, and the US actually still had a nest egg, instead spending twice as much money each year than it brings in, then the minor fluctuations in tariff revenue you are referring to could be absorbed.
Instead, they have purposefully pushed us to the point of near financial collapse, to the point where there are not many options on how to handle the situation, other than printing more unsupported fiat money, which as we’re seeing will always result in runaway inflation and economic suffering of the populace.
The rest of the US budget can and should be covered by import tariffs and maybe a small NRST.