US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on Wednesday including a 10% tariff on most countries.
Some of America’s biggest trading partners will see even higher tariffs beginning 9 April.
The aggressive shift in trade policy makes clear where Trump stands on tariffs, but has left much of the world wondering what Americans – who are expected to see the side effects – think of the move.
We asked five people what they think.
Mary Anne Dagata, 71, Michigan
She thinks the pain Americans will feel will be temporary and worth it.
I know we’re all going to get pinched in the pocket for a while. I think in the long run, it’s going to get us out of the massive deficit that we’re in.
I am concerned about the price of goods going up. I am going to end up being more particular about what I buy, basically I’ll tighten the belt for a while.
But then I think it’s going to go full circle and it’s going to be a good thing for the economy and for people in general.
We’ve been the world’s financial doormat for a while and we’ve gotta stop it.
Catherine Foster, 58, Florida
The soon-to-be-retiree worries about economic instability prompted by Trump’s actions.
I’m very unhappy. I’m probably a couple of years away from retiring and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to retire.
My 401k’s not doing great, Social Security is on the line and I don’t think the tariffs are going to help America’s standing on the world platform.
Trump is not a king and I feel like our Congress and Senate is letting us down, both parties, by not pushing back [on tariffs].
They know better, and they’re not doing anything. Why?
Ben Maurer, 38, Pennsylvania
The trucker welcomes the incoming tariffs and hopes they can help restore smaller US towns.
I feel like the way to kick-start investment back into US manufacturing is exactly this.
It’s a necessary evil.
Up until the 70s, there were two steel mills [in my area] and then they closed. And up until the last 10 years, the sites have been abandoned
We might not get back everything, but even if we recover 30-40% of it, it’s quite a bit of money and jobs.
0:45Watch: How the US stock market is reacting to Trump’s tariffs…in 45 seconds
Gloria Smith, 77, Washington DC
Gloria, who is retired, feels Trump administration officials don’t appreciate how tariffs will affect her life.
I’m on a fixed income. I’m retired, so things are going to go up and I’m worried. It means less money that I’ll have coming in.
What I’m trying to do is stock up on food because I think things are going to get really, really bad as far as shipping. Food is the one thing that you can’t really cut from your budget.
If I can be honest, Trump’s got all the money. He doesn’t have to [worry about] food. Musk has all the things, so this isn’t going to affect them. So they don’t know about the pain.
They say ‘a little pain’, but how little is this pain?
Robin Sloan, 73, Maryland
Robin says she’s rying to hold out hope, but she worries the economic turmoil will affect her and her family.
I’m worried. I’m worried about my retirement funds. I’m worried that he’s going to make other countries hate us for what he’s doing. I just think he’s an idiot.
I have a son and he’s 30. He has his own family and he’s looking for work and he’s struggling. This isn’t going to help things. He has two children – 18 months and six.
I tend to be a glass half-full type of person, but the president and his ideas are just so crazy sometimes. My financial adviser, who I really trust, did say that some of Trump’s plans are good and good for the finance market.
It gives me a little bit of hope, I guess. But then when you see the stock market plunging, it was like “oh, maybe not”.
BBC
