Major U.S. companies are adjusting fast, but few are escaping the cost. President Donald Trump is preparing to impose sweeping new tariffs by 1 August, pushing the U.S. toward a trade regime unseen since the 1940s.
From canned food giants to tech exporters, the pressure is building. Conagra, which owns brands such as Hunt’s and Birds Eye, says inflation on tinplate steel is forcing it to raise prices. Nike expects to pay $1 billion in new tariffs this year and is already planning what it calls “surgical” price increases.
Fastenal, a U.S. industrial supplier, is now splitting shipments between Canada and the U.S., disrupting its supply chain. Yedi Houseware, a kitchen appliance importer, says it has paid more in tariffs this year than in the past decade combined.
Trump's policy has lifted the average U.S. import tax from around 2% to roughly 15%, the highest in more than 80 years. While some new deals are being struck — including with the UK, Vietnam, and Indonesia — U.S. allies are also looking elsewhere.
“The U.S. is no longer seen as the leader of the global trading system,” said Alan Wolff, former WTO deputy director general. “It will do what it wants, regardless of past obligations.”
That shift is visible on multiple fronts. European officials are now expanding deals with South America and the UAE. China is forging new ties with Europe. And U.S. companies such as Hewlett Packard are relocating production to Thailand, Vietnam, and Mexico.
The impact of tariffs extends beyond geopolitics. Inflation is back in focus. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed victory over “inflation propagandists,” yet consumer prices are rising — up 2.7% in June year-on-year.
Trump says the tariffs will restore U.S. manufacturing and end unfair foreign trade practices. But the data tells a mixed story. Factory construction is down. Manufacturing jobs have dipped. And companies such as Conagra and Fastenal are raising prices just to keep pace.
Some firms are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other tools to cut losses. Cardinal Health says it reduced its expected tariff costs from $450 million to $75 million by using smarter logistics and pressing suppliers.
But others feel cornered. Yedi’s CEO called his firm “collateral damage” and said the president’s claim that foreign governments pay the tariffs is false.
Trump’s strategy of unpredictability is driving a new global realignment. The U.S. is betting on pressure. But the world is already moving to adapt.
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted between the two neighbours, only months a...
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy...
In 2013, just a month after becoming president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared that the days of mutinous soldiers undermining government authority in...
Polling closed on Sunday (7 December) in Hong Kong’s overhauled “patriots-only” legislative election, with vote counting now underway....
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted between the two neighbours, only months after a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Both sides accused the other of breaching the agreement.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy,” as he prepares for new consultations with European leaders in coming days.
In 2013, just a month after becoming president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared that the days of mutinous soldiers undermining government authority in the capital, Bamako, were over. Yet, seven years later, Keita himself was toppled, facing the very fate he had vowed to prevent.
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, urging citizens to continue their daily activities.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
FIFA releases the 2026 World Cup schedule with match dates, venues, and key fixtures. See when host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada play and get an overview of group stage and knockout rounds.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted between the two neighbours, only months after a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Both sides accused the other of breaching the agreement.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy,” as he prepares for new consultations with European leaders in coming days.
In 2013, just a month after becoming president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared that the days of mutinous soldiers undermining government authority in the capital, Bamako, were over. Yet, seven years later, Keita himself was toppled, facing the very fate he had vowed to prevent.
Polling closed on Sunday (7 December) in Hong Kong’s overhauled “patriots-only” legislative election, with vote counting now underway.
Greetings from Tripoli — a city that stands at the heart of Africa’s energy landscape and today hosts one of the continent’s key regional gatherings: the Libya–Africa International Gas Forum 2025.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment