KANSAS CITY, Mo. — President Trump’s recent decision to replace country-specific tariffs with a universal 10% rate — excluding China — has left Kansas Citians waiting.
The new policy, which spares many countries for 90 days, still imposes a steep 145% tariff on Chinese goods in response to China’s 84% tariff on U.S. products.
As a result, some Kansas City businesses feel unsure about the future.
“We’re gonna let it ride and see what happens,” said Brian Gersh, owner of Armourdale Furniture. “Everything from overseas, we’re gonna wait and see, and we’re not gonna jump to any conclusions.”
Tariffs could affect the agricultural sector as well.
“It’s definitely like taking a pay cut. If we don’t have demand for the product that we raise, then we have less opportunity to sell,” said Hayden Guetterman, a fifth-generation farmer in Bucyrus. “Things just ain’t adding up right now. It’s been pretty hard on the American farmer.”
Stock markets surged after the tariff shift, but experts said people shouldn’t make any rash decisions.
“We cannot predict the stock market,” said Stacia Williams, of Williams Financial Planning. “By establishing a budget, you can see how you can diversify your incomes, your monies coming in, and you also get to see what's going out.”
While the pause provides short-term relief, Kansas Citians across many industries are bracing for what could come next.
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KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
