Understanding Trump’s tariffs, in five charts

President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to significantly increase tariffs have now become a reality. Effective Tuesday morning, tariffs of 25% were imposed on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, while an additional 10% tax was applied to Chinese goods.

This move has a profound impact on the global economy, affecting trillions of dollars in trade and reshaping prices for a wide range of products, including cars and medications. Moreover, it strains relationships with crucial U.S. trading partners, particularly China, Canada, and Mexico, which collectively account for over 40% of the total imported goods in the United States, amounting to $2.9 trillion in 2024, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.

It is these top trading partners that Trump has consistently criticized and sought to address through these tariff measures.

The U.S. has a trade deficit, meaning it imports more goods than it exports. Tariffs could help close that gap by raising the prices of foreign goods and encouraging Americans to purchase domestic alternatives. In some cases, even the threat of tariffs might accomplish some of that by incentivizing manufacturers to move operations elsewhere. However, those operations won’t necessarily be relocated to the United States.

China was long the biggest exporter of goods to America. But its export total began to fall after Trump levied tariffs on the country during his first term, when companies began moving manufacturing from China to Mexico. As a result, Mexico surpassed it for total exports in 2023.

Tariffs often result in higher costs for consumers, as affected companies pass on their increased expenses. An economic study found that the costs of Trump’s 2018 trade war were entirely passed on to U.S. importers and consumers. A 2019 report from the Federal Reserve concluded that the 2018 tariffs led to job losses and higher consumer prices.

Among all categories of goods imported in the U.S., machinery-related products, electronics, and automotive products are the most imported. Canada, China, and Mexico collectively account for a significant portion of these imports, which means consumers could soon face higher prices for various items, including new cars, smartphones, and bicycles.

While tariffs will increase the cost of consumer goods, Trump has suggested the possibility of reducing or eliminating the personal income tax using the revenue generated from the new tariffs. If this were to happen, it could alleviate consumer pain caused by high mortgages and rising prices on essential items such as eggs and milk. However, income taxes constitute a substantial portion of the trillions in revenue collected by the government last year.

On the other hand, customs duties, aka tariffs — while still a significant sum — represent a slight fraction of national revenue.

NBC News