Trade deficits are not a bad thing
Tariffs, which are ultimately a tax on the American consumer, can be used as a tool to incentivize market liberalization, but are not a good thing in and of themselves.
Much is made by protectionists and supporters of increased tariffs about the "trade deficit" we have with other nations. Despite the negative connotations of the word "deficit," a trade deficit is not a bad thing. A trade deficit, by itself, is certainly not a subsidy of the other country. (This is recognizing that market distortions can occur with both tariffs and subsidies of domestic producers.)
A budget deficit is not the same as a trade deficit. If our government was responsible with spending, we would have a trade deficit and a budget surplus like we did in the late 1990's with the Republican Congress led by Newt Gingrich.
Here is an example: I have a trade deficit with the grocery store. I buy more from Kroger (and Wal-Mart, and Aldi, etc.) than they buy from me. An employer has a trade deficit from an employee, as the employer purchases labor while the employee often does not purchase anything from the employer.
It would be wildly inefficient for me to grow or hunt all of my own food. The grocery store has a comparative efficiency advantage in procuring food that I cannot replicate if I grow and hunt all of my own food, so I purchase from them instead, leaving me time to do other things. That is a trade deficit on a micro level.
A trade deficit on a macro level is (for example) American consumers purchasing more from Japanese companies than American companies sell to Japanese consumers. There are many reasons why that trade deficit might exist, including consumer choice, comparative advantage, and government policy (including regulations on manufacturers, such as environmental protections) but the "deficit" itself is not a failure, or a harm of one country, or a subsidy. It would be nearly impossible for us to have "balanced" trade with every nation, especially poorer nations where consumers lack the purchasing power of the median American.
Tariffs, which are ultimately a tax on the American consumer, can be used as a tool to incentivize market liberalization, but are not a good thing in and of themselves. This is because government is taking money out of the consumers' hands and bank accounts. What we should be pursuing is market liberalization (meaning free markets) with lower taxes and regulations, allowing the free flow of goods that can be economically beneficial to all sides.