There is an embedded assumption in the question that he does profit in some way from it, but based on his past behavior it’s a pretty safe guess.
Most of the reporting I have seen on this talks about the impact of the different tariffs, but not the “why” behind it (beyond parroting what Trump says, which is never true). I’m particularly interested in the tariffs on Canadian goods and energy. The justification about stopping fentanyl smuggling is an obvious lie. (It isn’t a real problem, and tariffs have nothing to do with drug smuggling. All but the mentally handicapped can figure that out for themselves.)
I am almost certain he believes in it or atleast the many other capitalists he is beholden to do. They pretend it does not exist because it poses an existential threat that is unsolvable through capitalism. They cannot admit to the workers that it is real because fixing it would require deconstructing the system that empowers them.
Capitalism is the wrong word choice. It is unsolvable through oligarchy that prefers to protect their assets and buy Government fairly cheaply to achieve the goals. Markets and overall ROI from lower insurance costs, cheaper energy, and rational avoidance of future cleanup costs does not contradict rational market theory that is the core of what capitalism was defined as. Modern definition of all isms is simply that Capitalism is supremacy of capital. Protection of previous capital investments is not supposed to mean capitalism.