WASHINGTON (HUNS) — Howard University students worry the Trump administration’s tariffs will negatively impact their daily lives – from the cost of essential goods to housing.
“If consumer prices are likely to rise due to tariffs, there will be luxuries I’ll decide to skip out on depending on their prices,” said Morghan Langston, a junior journalism major and political science minor.
Businesses are already charging more for items made in other countries, because of the tariffs or taxes that the government adds to imported goods. President Trump signed an executive order on April 2, placing a 10% tariff on all imported goods from other countries. This includes additional tariffs for some countries like China.
During his “Liberation Day” speech, Trump talked about reciprocal tariffs for other countries — taxes placed on foreign goods meant to match or counteract the taxes those countries put on U.S. products. But on Wednesday, he released a 90-day pause on those tariffs.
“More than 75 countries have called representatives of the United States … and have not retaliated in any way against the United States,” Trump shared in a post on Truth Social. “I have authorized a 90-day pause and a substantially lowered reciprocal tariff during this period of 10%, also effective immediately.”
Previously, Trump announced higher tariffs for over 60 countries, which reached up to 50%. While Trump said countries have a baseline tax of 10%, China now has an increased tariff rate on imported goods.
“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the world’s markets, I am hereby raising the tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately,” Trump said.
The high rates of tariffs have surprised seasoned economists. Lawrence Summers, former secretary of treasury, past director of the National Economic Council and well-known American economist, shared his response to Trump’s tariffs.
“Never before has an hour of presidential rhetoric cost so many people so much. Markets continue to move after my previous tweet,” Summers posted on X. “The best estimate of the loss from tariff policy is now closer to $30 trillion or $300,000 per family of four.”
Following Trump’s post on Truth Social, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection also released a notice late Friday, stating smartphones, computer monitors and other electronic parts are exempt from these increased tariffs. This includes products entering into the U.S. and items removed from warehouses on or before April 5.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the previous tariffs have already brought down grocery prices and that the new ones would improve America’s economy.
However, the stock market immediately dropped after Trump’s tariff announcement in early April. According to the Budget Lab, once the tariffs are fully in effect, prices will be raised by 2.3%, costing the average American household nearly $4,000 annually.
For example, a product like the Playstation 5, which is made in China then shipped to the U.S., would originally cost about $500. But, if Trump’s proposed tariffs are enacted, the price could double to more than $1,000 — a nearly $500 difference.
“If others are like me and resistant to putting money into the economy after the result of some of these tariffs,” Langston said, “it sounds like we have economic failure waiting to happen.”
Langston also expressed concern about how other countries might react to the tariffs.
“There are more pressing matters for this country to handle, and tariffs are just going to change the relationships we have with other nations,” she said. “So, I’m honestly not sure what Trump’s real thought process is on all of this.”
China responded to the reciprocal tariffs following Trump’s Liberation Day speech and stated that officials will enact tariffs to counter his executive order.
“The U.S. practice is inconsistent with international trade rules, seriously undermines China’s legitimate rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice that not only undermines the interests of the United States itself,” China’s State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement on the new policy.
Officials in China also said Trump’s tariffs “endanger global economic development and the stability of the production and supply chain.”
China initially announced a 34% tariff on “all imported goods originating from the United States,” with an exception for any goods shipped before April 10. But following Trump’s post, State Council officials raised their tariffs to 125%.
During his speech, Trump told other countries, “if you want your tariff rate to be zero, then build your product right here in America.”
This is not the first time in his new term that Trump has announced tariffs, but eventually delayed their implementation.
Trump announced tariffs on imported goods shipped from Mexico, Canada and China on Feb. 1. But then he later announced a pause on adding additional tariffs on certain items outlined in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (UMCA). Under the previous policy, goods imported from Mexico and Canada had an additional 25% tariff.
Makkiyah McDonald, a senior psychology major at Howard, is concerned about how these tariffs could affect her.
“I think these tariffs will impact my life and the economy by making it harder to buy essential goods, because the price for groceries and essentials will rise,” McDonald said.
Fortune created a list of products people should stock up on before the tariffs are officially implemented, including clothing, electronics and household items. Many essential goods that people in the U.S. often use are made internationally.
Langston is concerned the rising cost of these tariffs could make living in Washington even more challenging, especially as a student.
“It’s expensive to go to Howard; it’s expensive to live in D.C. as it is,” Langston said. “I can’t imagine how much worse it can get.”
Jordan Jarrett is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.
