On April 2, 2025 the official “The White House” website posted on their fact sheet that “President Donald J. Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase our Competitive Edge, Protect our Sovereignty, and Strengthen our National and Economic Security”. Stated on the page is Trump’s official statement saying that he declared a national emergency. Also the site says “President Trump is invoking his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to address the national emergency posed by the large and persistent trade deficit that is driven by the absence of reciprocity in our trade relationships and other harmful policies” stating why President Trump did initiate a National Emergency; And going on to explain towards the bottom how Tariffs have worked for example the “Fact Sheet” states “A 2024 study on the effects of President Trump’s tariffs in his first term found that they “strengthened the U.S. economy” and “led to significant reshoring” in industries like manufacturing and steel production, “showing that at least in Trump’s first term the tariffs did work as intended.
Once the tariffs set into play with China, they wasted no time on tariffing back the United States with China putting a tariff of 34% on U.S. goods on April 4. This was shortly after Trump put a tariff of 20% on Chinese goods on April 3. Then on April 9 Trump put a 104% Tariff on China in relation and China responded with a 84% tariff then later that same day. Trump raised the tariff on Chinese imports to a 145% tariff and China doing the same by raising the tariff on U.S. goods to 125%.
As a consumer in the United States we will likely see the prices of Chinese imported goods going up due to the tariffs being imposed. This would likely effect stores like dollar stores who have a majority of products made in China.
The White House. “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase Our Competitive Edge, Protect Our Sovereignty, and Strengthen Our National and Economic Security.” The White House, 2 Apr. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/.
