Tariffs and Tangles: Trump's Trade Gambit Shakes Global Supply Chains

Abstract

In the early spring of 2025, as cherry blossoms bloom and markets hum with anticipation, a seismic shift is rippling through the veins of the global supply chain. President Donald J. Trump, now steering his second term, has unleashed a bold tariff policy that threatens to reshape the intricate lattice of supply chains binding nations, industries, and consumers. Announced with his signature bravado at the White House on April 2, these tariffs - a 10% baseline levy on all imports, with sharper duties like 34% on China, 26% on India, and 20% on the European Union - aim to revive American manufacturing and correct what Trump calls a lopsided trade arena. Yet, as the world wrestles with this audacious move, a question hangs heavy: Will these tariffs fortify the U.S. economy or fray the delicate threads of global trade?