Trump’s Tariffs: America’s Economic Woes After 100 Days

President Trump's aggressive tariff policies during his second term have triggered significant economic challenges, even for the U.S.

Introduction

Donald Trump’s Tariffs first 100 days in office have revealed a harsh economic reality. His aggressive tariff policies, bold administrative cuts, and polarizing tax reforms have started reshaping the American economy — but not necessarily for the better.

New data shows declining public support, rising consumer costs, and growing uncertainty about the future. Trump’s economic promises now face serious tests, with Americans already feeling the pinch.

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Overview: Trump’s Tariffs After 100 Days

5 areas where the country is struggling because of the Tariff shuffles:

Rising Prices: Tariffs push up costs for consumers.

Factory Slowdown: Manufacturing struggles with higher material prices.

Export Losses: Retaliation from other countries hits U.S. businesses.

Market Jitters: Trade fears shake investor confidence.

Slower Growth: Economists warn of a looming slowdown.

A Historic Low in Popularity

Trump’s approval rating has plunged to 40% according to the latest Pew Research Center survey. This is the lowest for any U.S. president at the 100-day mark in at least seven decades.

A key driver of this decline is dissatisfaction with Trump’s tariff strategy. Around 59% of Americans disapprove of the ongoing tariff hikes, blaming them for making daily essentials more expensive.

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Trump’s Tariffs Hitting the Poor Hardest

The Trump’s Tariffs introduced — a blanket 10% on most goods, a sector-specific 25% on others, and a massive 145% on Chinese imports — are hitting wallets hard.

A study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that the poorest 20% of American households (earning below $29,000 annually) could see a 6.2% rise in their effective tax burden.
In contrast, the top 1% (earning above $195,000) would face just a 1.5% increase.

Income GroupExpected Tax Increase from Tariffs
Bottom 20% (below $29,000)6.2%
Top 1% (above $195,000)1.5%

This disparity has worsened income inequality, fueling public anger and frustration.

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Rising Costs of Living

Inflationary pressure is mounting. Food and housing costs are two main areas of concern.

  • 67% of Americans are very concerned about rising food prices.
  • 61% are worried about escalating housing expenses.

Higher tariffs on imported goods have made groceries, consumer products, and building materials costlier across the board.

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The “Big, Beautiful” Tax Gamble

Trump’s major legislative push — his so-called “Big, Beautiful” tax bill — aims to deepen the 2017 tax cuts favoring the wealthy. It proposes raising the federal debt ceiling by up to $5 trillion, slashing spending on Medicaid and clean energy, and expanding defense budgets.

The House wants $1.5 trillion in cuts to government programs. The Senate, by contrast, proposes a much smaller $4 billion in reductions.

Lawmakers are now in heated budget reconciliation talks, especially around state and local tax deduction caps (SALT), an issue critical to high-tax states like California and New York.

Clouds on the Economic Horizon

According to the Pew survey:

  • 45% of Americans believe the economy will worsen in the next year.
  • The main worries include rising consumer goods prices and unaffordable housing.

Trump’s bet is that economic growth will offset these pains. However, the early signs suggest an uphill battle.

Conclusion

Trump’s first 100 days showcase the old adage perfectly: As you sow, so shall you reap. His tariff-first, tax-cut-heavy policies have planted seeds of higher costs, rising inequality, and public discontent.
Whether the harvest ahead will be fruitful or bitter remains to be seen.

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Kumar Priyadarshi
Kumar Priyadarshi

Kumar Joined IISER Pune after qualifying IIT-JEE in 2012. In his 5th year, he travelled to Singapore for his master’s thesis which yielded a Research Paper in ACS Nano. Kumar Joined Global Foundries as a process Engineer in Singapore working at 40 nm Process node. Working as a scientist at IIT Bombay as Senior Scientist, Kumar Led the team which built India’s 1st Memory Chip with Semiconductor Lab (SCL).

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