Within hours of taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump proposed levying tariffs on the U.S.’s biggest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. In simple terms, tariffs are an additional tax imposed on goods imported from other countries.
Historically, tariffs have been a key part of U.S. economic policy, with several presidents imposing tariffs. Recently, other countries have become accustomed to setting tariffs on the U.S. However, Trump’s current tariff rates have been greater than previous rates. For the broader population, these new tariff rates have increased prices for essentials and reduced leisure spending.
History and economics teacher Varsha Venkatasubramanian explained the personal effects of tariffs on individuals, especially teens. “The main way tariffs are going to affect us is food, clothes and other things we buy with disposable income … It probably affects a lot of students’ parents that way, because it messes with their retirement portfolios,” Venkatasubramanian said.
On Apr. 10, the White House clarified that tariffs on Chinese goods had been increased from 125% to 145%, which prompted China to respond with a 125% tariff on U.S. goods. However, due to a stock market crash caused by the tariffs, a temporary truce was agreed upon, under which the U.S. would reduce its tariff rates to 30%. In comparison, China would maintain its retaliatory tariffs at 10%, as reported by BBC.
Noticing the effects of tariffs, sophomore Eamon Bakker described the change in his family’s shopping habits.
“[My parents] look at the prices a bit more, because they’ve risen so much … mostly things like energy drinks, cereal and eggs … but my parents prefer to buy more local produce, such as going to the farmers’ market more often,” Bakker said.

Food isn’t the only product being affected by tariffs. In the Twin Cities area, Fox9 found that Apple, Nike and Walmart were all significantly affected by the disruption in global trade. The Consumer Technology Association found that in April 2025, smartphones had increased in price by 31%, while a study by Yale University in August 2025 found that clothing prices had increased by 37%.
The effect of tariffs on convenience is prevalent for senior Sam Ray. “I’ve noticed when I have my hair curling products that they’ve gone up in price a lot, so I’ve stopped using them as much,” Ray said.
As tariffs have prompted Americans to reconsider what is truly necessary, they have altered the landscape of clothing, food and healthcare. While tariff rates have stabilized over the past eight months, negotiations continue between the U.S. and several countries. As of Aug. 6, the most affected countries by U.S. tariffs are China, Brazil, South Africa and India.
Furthermore, the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have been challenged over the use of the emergency powers law against Congress’ exclusive authority to impose tariffs. The case has been deferred to the Supreme Court, where they will review two cases on tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The first hearing for oral arguments has been scheduled for the first week of November.