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(NewsNation) — President-elect Donald Trump is picking a combat with America's apical trading partners, and that could travel astatine a steep outgo to U.S. consumers.
Trump is threatening to impose a 25% tariff connected each imports from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the travel of migrants and drugs. He's besides vowed an further 10% tariff connected imports from China.
Tariffs — which are taxes connected goods imported from different countries — are paid by American companies but yet get passed connected to U.S. consumers successful the signifier of higher prices, economists warn.
In 2023, the U.S. imported implicit $3.1 trillion worthy of goods — making it the world's largest importer of goods. Three countries — Mexico, China and Canada — accounted for implicit 40% of the full worth of each goods the U.S. imported.
If Trump follows done connected his plans, it could thrust up prices connected a scope of goods, including cars from Mexico, smartphones from China and lipid from Canada.
Here's what the U.S. imports from its apical 3 trading partners.
The pursuing commercialized information is from the U.S. Census Bureau unless different noted.
What does the US import from Mexico?
Major imports from Mexico: Passenger vehicles, car parts, trucks, computers, fruits and vegetables
For the archetypal clip successful much than 2 decades, Mexico surpassed China successful 2023 arsenic the leading root of goods imported to the United States.
Part of that is owed to Mexico's increasing car industry, which means tariffs could thrust up prices for American car buyers.
General Motors makes Chevrolet Silverado pickups successful Mexico. It's besides wherever Stellantis makes Dodge Rams.
A 25% tariff would summation the outgo of vehicles and car parts, which accounted for $130 cardinal worthy of U.S. imports from Mexico past year.
According to Mexico's concern minister, Trump's tariffs would rise the terms of pickup trucks by $3,000. The mean terms for a caller full-size pickup is already north of $65,000.
Mexico is the world’s seventh-largest rider conveyance manufacturer, producing 3.5 cardinal vehicles annually, according to the International Trade Administration. Of those, 88% are exported, and 76% are destined for the United States.
Even American-made cars could go much expensive. That's due to the fact that Mexico represents 43% of each U.S. car portion imports, larger than immoderate different country, Reuters reported.
Consumers could besides spot higher prices astatine the market store, particularly successful the nutrient section. In 2023, Mexico supplied 63% of U.S. rootlike imports and 47% of effect and seed imports, according to the USDA. Mexico besides supplies the immense bulk of brew imported to the U.S., astir 80%.
What does the US import from China?
Major imports from China: Smartphones, laptops, toys and games, lithium-ion batteries
Americans could spot higher prices for user electronics if Trump imposes further tariffs connected China.
Last year, the U.S. imported astir $45 cardinal worthy of smartphones from China, implicit 75% of full U.S. smartphone imports. The immense bulk of video crippled consoles imported into the U.S. besides came from China.
While it's existent the U.S. has mostly go little babelike connected China successful caller years, that's not the lawsuit erstwhile it comes to user electronics and lithium-ion batteries.
In fact, China’s stock successful US artillery imports has actually increased since 2017, the Atlantic Council noted successful a caller report.
If Trump goes a measurement further — pursuing done connected the tariffs helium proposed connected the run trail — consumers could spot laptop and tablet prices emergence 46% and smartphone prices leap 26%, according to a caller Consumer Technology Association report.
Toys could besides get much expensive. The U.S. imported implicit $42 cardinal worthy of toys, games and sporting goods successful 2023, 75% of which came from China.
What does the US import from Canada?
Major imports from Canada: Crude oil, vehicles, machinery, plastics
Canada is the largest root of U.S. vigor imports, and a 25% tariff would thrust up prices astatine the state pump.
Last year, 60% of U.S. crude lipid imports came from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In large U.S. markets wherever refiners process Canadian lipid — similar the Midwest, Great Lakes and Rockies — state prices could emergence arsenic overmuch arsenic 75 cents per gallon, according to Patrick De Haan, caput of petroleum investigation astatine GasBuddy.
"You can't simply process antithetic lipid overnight. It would instrumentality investments/years," De Haan wrote connected X. "More US proviso wouldn't help."
Canada is besides the fifth largest producer of earthy gas, exporting about fractional of its supply to the U.S. past year.
American homebuilders besides trust connected Canadian lumber, meaning the outgo of gathering a location could rise.
"There is nary getting astir the information that the U.S. indispensable trust connected Canada to afloat conscionable its lumber needs," Chuck Fowke, then-chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, wrote successful a 2022 Seattle Times op-ed.
Fowke pointed retired that astir 30% of the lumber consumed successful the U.S. was imported, and much than 85% of the imports came from Canada.