Answering questions about the cost of Trump’s tariffs

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President Donald Trump has launched the United States into a trade war, the likes of which has not been seen in decades. U.S. consumers, particularly low- and middle-income households, will bear the burden of the tariffs announced on what the Trump administration called “Liberation Day.” Trump’s tariffs will cost American households $3,800 annually—with the threat of additional tariffs still looming.

This means Americans will be facing higher inflation, which will increase prices for groceries, clothing, and other everyday goods. All the while, the Trump administration is seeking to raise substantial revenue to offset the cost of massive tax breaks for the president’s wealthy donors.

Will Trump’s strategy hurt or boost jobs? The Trump administration tried the tariff-and-tax-cut approach during the president’s first term, and it resulted in a net loss of manufacturing jobs. That’s not all, Trump is currently seeking to undo investments in manufacturing, a critical industry for job creation.

Will Trump’s strategy bring prosperity to working Americans? Trump’s trade war will mean higher prices on imported goods, and these price increases will hit lower-income families the hardest. Because so many U.S. manufacturers count on imported materials to produce in the United States, they will face higher operating costs, which will detract from wages and benefits. Add to that the Trump administration’s hostility toward unions, and it is doubtful Trump’s tariffs will bring prosperity to working people.

Will Trump’s strategy strengthen U.S. partnerships and alliances? The Trump administration’s trade wars are already undermining the alliances necessary to address shared global challenges. By threatening and implementing tariffs against the United States’ allies, the Trump administration is breaking trust with those the country should be collaborating with more closely.

Small-business owners brace for impact

Tariffs from the Trump administration will harm small businesses across the country, including a local craft brewery in Gov. JB Pritzker’s state of Illinois.

Farmers will bear the burden of Trump’s tariffs

Nebraska farmers are bracing for a trade war. About 30 percent of  the state’s agricultural products cross into other countries, a fact that makes Trump’s tariffs alarming for farmers. 

Mark McHargue, the president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, is particularly concerned about the tariffs disrupting business for local farmers.

“Trade wars can be hard on an economy because they push prices upward. One of the difficulties is the speed at which these tariffs are occurring. It's very hard for businesses to readjust on the fly in 24 hours or one week or even a month to reorganize their supply chains to be able to get the goods they need to stay in business.”

ICYMI: Greta answered your questions about the SAVE Act on Reddit

Last week, Greta Bedekovics, associate director of Democracy Policy at the Center for American Progress, hosted a Reddit AMA ("ask me anything") to answer people's most pressing questions and concerns about the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order that tries to unilaterally enact it.

The SAVE Act is a dangerous bill that could deny the right to vote to millions of Americans by requiring them to show proof of citizenship documentation, in person, in order to register to vote and each time they update their voter registration information. About 80 million Americans would be affected by the bill every federal election cycle—every two years.

How should married women or trans folks prepare to protect their right to vote if the SAVE Act becomes law? How does Trump's latest unconstitutional executive order on voting factor in? Would rural voters need to drive hours to their election office just to update their voter registration information?

Check out the AMA on Reddit to see Greta's answers to all these user-submitted questions and more.

Behind the scenes of Greta's AMA

Watch Greta's breakdown of ID requirements for voter registration for one user.

Spoiler alert: Federal law already requires people to provide ID information to register to vote.

Barbara, tell Congress to vote “NO” ❌ on the SAVE Act

Send your representative a prewritten letter opposing the SAVE Act.