The most recent round of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump—25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on imports from China—has rocked international markets, causing trade allies to retaliate and increasing worries about the financial burden on American consumers. However, the consequences might be disastrous for Black Americans, who already bear disproportionate financial responsibilities. “Will there be some pain?” In a statement, Trump stated, “Yes, maybe (and maybe not!).” He added, “We will Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid.”
The cost of that “pain” is far from abstract to many Black communities. New York educator Chaniqua Jones is already having difficulty with her district’s financial constraints. She noted, “First, consider that most of our students struggle with necessities like food and shelter, and many tell us that if they can’t work, they can’t eat.”
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“That and reduced school budgets that we’re already dealing with will hurt more because, something to remember, we can only use one vendor that the Department of Education approves for supplies, and that vendor can charge anything they want, including, if they choose, as much as $10 for a pencil.”
Truck drivers, company owners, and families will be impacted by price increases in ways that the White House seems to have overlooked sharing Jones’ worries. Truck driver Jonathan Dolphin from Pennsylvania immediately notices the differences.
“The trucking industry isn’t the same anymore,” he remarked.
“Hauling heavier loads doesn’t pay us more, and the brokers still charge higher rates. Those people who voted for Trump now have to see how idiotic that was.” One of the main issues facing Black Americans in the working class is fuel pricing. The biggest exporter of crude oil to the United States, Canada, is now subject to a 10% energy export duty. Lower-income households, who spend a larger amount of their income on transportation, would be disproportionately affected by the anticipated 30 to 70 cent per gallon increase in gas costs in various regions of the nation.
Gas costs have already begun to rise, according to Florida wildlife photographer George McKenzie.
“I’m honestly worried about the price of gas and food going up,” he noted. “As someone who travels frequently for work, any increase in fuel costs directly affects my livelihood.”
The economic harm caused by the tariffs is exacerbated by already-existing inequalities in Black communities. In 2023, African Americans’ median family income was $52,860, much less than the $74,580 national median. Due to the racial wealth gap, which has been made worse by decades of discriminatory job and housing practices, Black families are worse equipped to handle growing expenses.
Additionally, the tariffs jeopardize Black communities’ already precarious food security. 63% of the vegetables and 47% of the fruits and nuts consumed in the United States are imported from Mexico, and tariffs may increase the cost of groceries. Food deserts, or places with little availability of reasonably priced, healthy food, are already a problem in many communities with a large Black population. Costlier meals might make the situation worse.
In Chicago’s South Side, Alicia Brown, a 28-year-old mother of two, remarked, “It’s already expensive to eat healthy where I live.”
Adding, “A gallon of milk is already $5. If they start charging more for fresh produce, people are going to have to make tough choices between food and rent.”
Another important engine of the economy, the automobile sector, is also expected to suffer. Cars and light trucks worth $69 billion and $37 billion, respectively, were imported by the United States from Mexico and Canada in 2023. Canadian-made engines power Ford F-Series trucks and Mustang sports coupes. Auto part tariffs will increase prices, raising the cost of certain automobiles by an estimated $3,000.
Job security is increasingly a concern for Black auto workers in places like Detroit and Atlanta. If manufacturing costs rise, several automakers are thinking about closing their plants or laying off employees. Michigan autoworker Maurice Richardson, 58, stated, “We’re looking at a repeat of what happened in 2018 when Trump’s first tariffs led to layoffs.”
Richardson noted, “Except this time, it’s going to be worse.”
U.S. allies have previously strongly opposed the trade war. “If he thinks Canada will just sit back and accept these tariffs without response, he is gravely mistaken,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling Trump’s action “short-sighted and reckless.” Canada said that it would impose a 25% tax on $155 billion worth of U.S. products as part of its retaliatory actions. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, meantime, has denounced Trump’s rationale for the tariffs as “an unjustified economic attack.”
In response, Mexico has hinted that it would impose tariffs on American exports, like as maize and soybeans, which would further affect American farmers and raise the cost of groceries.
China, the third country that Trump’s proposed tariffs are aimed at, has also promised to act. The World Trade Organization will receive a protest from China’s Ministry of Commerce, which warned that “the U.S. has chosen a path of confrontation that will hurt American workers more than anyone else.”
Congress has reacted quickly in Washington. The tariffs drew criticism from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “It would be nice if Donald Trump could start focusing on getting the prices down instead of making them go up,” Schumer noted.
“All tariffs are not created equal. Donald Trump is aiming his new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, but they will likely hit Americans in their wallets. I am concerned these new tariffs will further drive up costs for American consumers.”
The senate leader further noted, “We should be focused on going hard against competitors who rig the game, like China, rather than attacking our allies. If these tariffs go into full effect, they will raise prices for everything from groceries to cars, to gas, making it even harder for middle-class families to just get by.”
Trump’s trade war is already causing an economic storm. Although inflation in the U.S. economy decreased from its 2022 peak, researchers now anticipate a dramatic turnaround, with prices for basic commodities rising. Most of the harm is anticipated to fall on African Americans, who have typically been left behind in economic recoveries.
According to Dr. Jamal Reed, an economist located in the District of Columbia, “This is what happens when policy is made without thinking about the people who will be most affected.” Adding, “This isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s an economic disaster waiting to happen.”
