So, the goals are noble, the intentions are good, but the road to hell is the only realistic one?

Retaliatory tariffs aren't a risk, they are the present reality, see the market performance on Friday when China announced them. The relative lack of exports isn't the disease, it's just a symptom. Hoping to revive the American economy by means of exports and "negotiations" is a pipe dream, the numbers aren't there.

The stated policies and goals are meant to trigger and provoke, just like your post. They are designed for that purpose and no other. Trump may not be aware of it because he is in the business of sound bites and provocations which impair thinking. The real goals aren't hard to guess, they're printed on the price labels.