Op-E, Emil Amok Guillermo: The T in Trump is for Tariffs

The T in Trump is for Tariffs, And Now He’s Messing with our Rice Bowls.

By Emil Amok Guillermo

While Trump was out golfing, tens of thousands of Americans from Boston to Sacramento were protesting everything Trump—— from DOGE cuts and layoffs to the reality of the trade war he’s started with the world.

The “Hands Off” demonstrations this weekend weren’t precisely the kind of  “People Power” that ousted a dictator in the Philippines, but it could be the start of a real movement here in the U.S.

This is especially true when among those dissatisfied with Trump are those who voted for him, including some Republicans like Sen. Don Bacon, who are trying to stop the tariffs in Congress. They insist there was no “emergency” and that for the president to impose tariffs was illegal.

In the meantime, we haven’t fully begun to experience the fallout of the Trump tariffs.

And we will.

ASIAN AMERICANS AND TARIFFS

The Trump tariffs–a basic 10 percent across the board with more added on the perceived trade imbalances with individual foreign countries—are hitting many Asian Americans where we live—our wallets and our dinner tables.

China has already retaliated with a 34 percent reciprocal tariff to match the U.S. If Trump expected China to negotiate, he miscalculated. So here comes the pain, which he acknowledges, but doesn’t have to experience.

Not like us.

Wars have casualties, and in this one, we’re all getting wounded, especially those of us who depend on imported goods.

A lot of the stuff we buy, the things that make our lives, our cultural lives, a little more flavorful, a little more vibrant – it comes from Asia. The special sauces, the good rice, the noodles that make a proper pancit or ramen, the electronics we love – tariffs jack up the prices on all that.

How much? I bought an item, let’s call it a gizmo– the other day that was less than $20. I bought it without thinking about the cost. When the sale finalized, the cost was nearly three times more. “Shipping and handling” was the villian. Tariffs? Manufacturers can call it whatever they want. But when they get cost hikes, they pass it on to the end user, the consumer.

Being price-sensitive on gizmos, I cancelled the order.

Now extend this to all your shopping, especially that trip to the Asian market. It’s going to be a lot more  expensive. The  family recipe that calls for a very specific ingredient? Gonna cost you. That new phone you were eyeing? Forget about it.

For many of us, this isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about being able to maintain a connection to where we came from, to the traditions we cherish. It’s about being able to share a meal with our families that tastes like home. And when those things get more expensive, it feels like a direct hit.

ASIAN SMALL BUSINESSES

The consumer view is one thing. A lot of Asian Americans are small business owners. They’re the folks running the restaurants, the grocery stores, the import-export shops. Tariffs will hit these businesses, the backbone of our communities. They’re making it harder to compete, harder to survive.

Trump wants to talk about the big picture and the long term, giving short shrift to the short-term pain. But the pain is real and we’re going to feel it.

Even long term, Trump’s vision is faulty. Did you see that equation he used to show how the tariffs were derived to show how America is being cheated by a trade imbalance? It’s bad math, and a total misunderstanding of the trade situation.

But Trump storms ahead, saying trade imbalances are an emergency that only he can fix—with tariffs.

So we end up with higher prices, which means consumers won’t buy. Companies will have lower profits and be forced to lay off workers. The result?

A U.S. economy that is not what we expected. Slow growth, high unemployment, high inflation. From an economy that was the envy of the world in January, we are back to the 1970s “stagflation.”

If you vote for the businessman to run the country, is this what you wanted? Should you still as the administration likes to say, “Trust in Trump”?

In the meantime, Trump is also sticking it to our friends and allies, who may find reason to do business with others. The so-called BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China) already have a higher GDP than the U.S.

Trump may be forcing all he’s alienated to look for new partners, and all a result of a dumb trade war and his 19th-century protectionist beliefs.

As for Americans, thousands were out this weekend letting the administration know these tariffs aren’t just some abstract economic concept. They’re affecting our lives, our communities, our families. They’re making it harder to live the lives we want to live, to honor the traditions we hold dear.

Time to join in?

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. His weekly column on Asian American issues has run since 1995. See his “Emil Amok’s Takeout” on YouTube.com/@emilamok