April 1, 2025
By Sena Fidan
Editor
n a move that has intensified global trade tensions, President Donald Trump recently announced and implemented a series of substantial tariffs targeting key U.S. allies and trading partners.
Most recently, on March 26, Trump announced plans to place a 25% tariff on all imported cars beginning on April 3.
This tariff builds on the president’s previous measures to address the global trade war.
On Feb. 1, Trump ordered a 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariff on goods imported from China to take effect three days later on Feb. 4.
The tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico were later delayed by 30 days and took effect on March 4. The United States also raised tariffs on Chinese goods by 20% on March 4.
On March 6, Trump postponed his proposed 25% tariff on imports from Mexico that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact. He also postponed tariffs on auto-related imports from Canada that comply with the trade deal. These tariffs were to take effect on April 2.
Economics and history teacher Mr. Newman said the Trump Administration’s use of tariffs is unprecedented.
“This is the largest exploration of using tariffs in recent history and could be the biggest use of tariffs in world history,” Newman said. “Now, they are used primarily as protective tariff measures for American industries to compete against countries that made a cheaper product and can afford to sell it for a cheaper price.”
Newman said that rather than making a profit from tax revenue, the main objective of these tariffs is to encourage foreign companies to build factories to manufacture their products in the United States.
He said the government intends these tariffs to give American producers a price advantage when they sell their products.
“These [tariffs] are a legitimate strategy to attempt to bring more jobs and opportunity to the U.S.,” Newman said.
Since these tariffs were announced and implemented, economists have questioned their impact on the U.S. economy.
“This is a bold strategy for this administration and has caused a lot of losses in the stock market,” Newman said. “However, time will only tell if this strategy will work and will result in the success that the Trump administration believes [it] will have.”
Senior Owen Masika said he is concerned about the consequences of Trump’s tariffs on the economy.
“This is the largest exploration of using tariffs in recent history and could be the biggest use of tariffs in world history.”
“I can’t see it ever positively affecting jobs or industries,” Masika said. “[The tariffs are] just going to make everything pricier, and then our economy is going to have less money coming [in].”
Masika said that starting in middle school, teachers should educate students about tariffs and their economic effects.
“It’s a really important topic that I feel like we don’t really cover,” Masika said. “[Students] should know about complicated economic concepts as early as possible to ensure they are prepared for adulthood.”
Accounting and personal finance teacher Ms. Jankowski said she expects the Trump administration’s tariffs to be more harmful than beneficial, but she also credited tariffs for having historic benefits.
“They usually raise prices, reduce availability of goods and services and result in lower income, reduced employment and lower economic output,” Jankowski said. “But in the past, tariffs have raised revenue for the government.”
Like Newman, Jankowski said it is hard to predict how the tariffs will affect the United States in the long run.
“Each party has their own ideas on how tariffs should be imposed,” Jankowski said. “Only time will tell the impact Trump’s tariffs will [have on] American consumers.”
