Tariffs not as bad as predicted

While US tariff policy continues to disrupt trade flows and cause uncertainty in global markets, the Washington Post reviews recent actions by the Trump administration to delay the implementation of new tariffs. The New York Times highlights a new study showing that the overall tariff rate is significantly lower than tariff figures presented by the US administration. The Wall Street Journal provides six real-world examples of winners and losers from US tariffs. The Associated Press called out a number of tariff threats not yet acted upon.

Mentioned publications

The penne is mightier than the sword – Editorial Board, The Washington Post, January 8, 2026
The Washington Post examines how US President Donald Trump has quietly rolled back tariffs on household goods, including furniture and pasta, in an apparent effort to address voter concerns about affordability.
Why haven’t Trump’s tariffs had a bigger impact? – Ana Swanson, The New York Times, January 3, 2026
Swanson highlights a new report from Harvard and Chicago economists showing that the tariff rate importers have paid is significantly lower than those announced by President Trump, due to exemptions for certain countries and industries, rates reductions for some goods before they arrived in the US, and evasion of the rules by some companies.
A shrimper, a carmaker, a lawyer: How the world tackled Trump’s trade war – Chelsey Dulaney, Chao Deng, Jon Emont, Stephen Wilmot, and Shan Li, The Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2025
The Wall Street Journal examines how US tariff policies are recasting global trade, illustrating through six real-world stories how people and in the global economy are rapidly adjusting to the new rules of trade, highlighting both winners and losers.
Trump made lots of tariff threats in 2025. Here are some that never materialized – Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Associated Press, December 31, 2025
Grantham-Philips argues while President Trump made numerous tariff threats and trade promises in 2025, some have yet to be fulfilled, leaving businesses and consumers to face ongoing uncertainty.