Many people in US puzzled by self-inflicted wounds to economy

Heavy inflation feared

Americans will pay more for coffee, as well as many other goods from clothing and shoes to household items, experts said.

Feng Ye, president of STA International Supply Chain Inc, an e-commerce logistics company, said the immediate effect of tariffs on imported goods is a direct cost rise for sellers. "When sellers face higher costs, those expenses inevitably get passed on to consumers," he told China Daily. "This will ultimately lead to more severe inflation."

He noted that while prices have not yet risen significantly due to current inventory levels, that will change soon. "Once this batch of inventory is sold out, the next wave of goods will definitely see a substantial price increase — estimated at 5 to 10 percent," Feng said, adding that there are currently no effective countermeasures to the tariffs, as the issue is a global one.

One contractor said he voted for Trump three times and likes a lot of what the US president is doing. "But these tariffs are killing me," he posted on social media. "I am lining up fewer jobs, especially high-end residential (ones), because they're all losing money in stocks."

He said his suppliers were telling him the costs of materials are expected to go way up. "I'm just a business owner who's getting hurt. For what, to bring low-paying manufacturing jobs from China?"

Another contractor shared a similar experience on social media, saying that he had lost three jobs in the last two weeks because of anxiety over the tariffs. "It was bad before, and now it's worse," the contractor said.