Latina Lista > News > May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

Regardless of the headlines, most people are feeling a financial squeeze. It’s forcing many to take on side hustles or work overtime just to make ends meet. So, the Trump administration’s announcement they set a “pause” on China’s tariffs brought good news — so we thought. While a rollback from 145% to 30% in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods sounds like a relief, economists like Diane Swonk warn it’s more of a band-aid than a cure. The deal may have unblocked some goods stuck at Chinese ports, but the damage to businesses and consumers has already begun — and may get worse.

Why? Because unpredictability, not just cost, is now the main threat. Like a broken traffic light at a busy intersection, Swonk says the economy is lurching forward with hesitation — some businesses rush to import goods before tariffs spike again, while others freeze, waiting for clarity that never comes. That whiplash creates what economists fear most: stagflation — a toxic mix of high prices, rising unemployment, and stagnant growth.

It’s already playing out. Importers spent 40 days in limbo, and now there’s a scramble to replenish inventory, pushing up freight costs and causing supply chain bottlenecks. For everyday Americans, that means higher prices at checkout, fewer job opportunities, and continued economic unease — even as headlines tout “deals.”

The White House may be celebrating its agreement with China — and a similar one with the U.K. on steel and aluminum — but the rest of the world sees it differently. These deals are rushed, thin on enforceable details, and part of a patchwork strategy that’s leaving businesses and trade partners guessing. Negotiating 90 deals in 90 days, as Trump has promised, is nearly impossible under such conditions. As Swonk points out, trade deals usually take years and rely on trust, transparency, and a consistent rule of law — none of which are in abundance right now.

The bottom line? A “pause” on tariffs doesn’t stop the pain. It merely kicks the uncertainty down the road. If anything, it reinforces the sense that this administration governs through chaos — and that Americans, already juggling multiple jobs to stay afloat, will continue paying the price at every level. Go beyond the headlines…

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