Trump's Tariffs
- Evan Whitfield
- Mar 24
- 2 min read
On February 1st President Trump enacted a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico while placing a 10% tariff on imports from China. The reason for these tariffs is centered around the flow of illegal drugs and illegal immigrants into the country from our neighbors to the North and South. The U.S. is combating a large problem of overdoses related to fentanyl found in drugs that cross the border. China is also included in this for its involvement in shipping the chemicals that create these lethal drugs. President Trump raised this issue and demanded, mostly, that Mexico and Canada needed to resolve this problem. Trump decided that their efforts were not enough and implemented the tariffs as a result.
Since these tariffs were announced there have been a lot of grey areas. Trump has changed the conditions only taxing some goods, extending deadlines for when they take effect, and saying that there will be other tariffs enacted on unspecified countries, perhaps in the EU. One tariff that has made waves is the 25% on foreign steel imports. This hits manufacturing hubs the hardest, especially in states close to the border. Major car manufacturers in states like Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana are going to feel the burden the most. With Trump so adamant about bringing back American cars will this drive up costs for consumers?
Warren Buffet called these tariffs an “act of war.” Since these tariffs have been put in place there has been a lot of pushback from Canada. American liquor has been taken off shelves, Canadian fans have booed the American national anthem, and Canada implementing their own tariffs at 25% on $155 billion of American goods. Tensions are high and it does not seem like the tariffs are going anywhere but they might be changing as negotiations progress. However, these policies might soon stretch across the Atlantic into Europe, or is this just a bargaining tactic from President Trump to force the world's hand in other areas?
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