Trump’s tariffs whack Trump voters
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump won the Presidency a second time by promising working-class voters he’d lift their real incomes. Which makes it all the more puzzling that he’s so intent on imposing tariffs that will punish those same Americans.
Tariffs are taxes, and Mr. Trump’s latest tariffs are estimated to be about an annual $150 billion tax increase. Taxes are antigrowth.
That’s the message investors are sending this week since Mr. Trump let his 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico take effect. The President also raised his 10% tariff on China by another 10%.
Canada and China retaliated, while Mexico is holding off until Sunday. The border taxes, and the uncertainty they bring, are weighing on growth and consumer confidence. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 3.4% since Mr.
Trump took office, erasing the ebullient gains that followed his November election. Brace for higher prices on berries, bell peppers, and, gulp, beer. Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC Tuesday that tariffs on Mexico may force the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables.
About 30% of vegetables and fresh fruit sold in the U.S. come from Mexico. Modelo’s Mexican-produced Especial is the best-selling beer in the U.S.
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said Tuesday that Mr. Trump’s tariffs “make price increases for American consumers highly likely." Nafta, which was supplanted by the USMCA, encouraged electronics manufacturers to set up shop in Mexico instead of China. Hope you don’t plan to buy a smart TV since it could be 25% more expensive.
Energy prices will rise too. Mr. Trump implicitly conceded this by reducing his tariffs to 10% on Canadian energy imports.
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