WASHINGTON – The following statement may be attributed to National Retail Federation Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French regarding the Trump administration’s announcement to impose reciprocal tariffs on all trading partners.
“More tariffs equal more anxiety and uncertainty for American businesses and consumers. While leaders in Washington may not care about higher prices, hardworking American families do.
“Eighty-eight percent of voters say that small businesses play an important role in their local economy, according to an NRF poll conducted by Morning Consult. These tariffs will have a disproportionate impact on local communities and will be particularly harmful to small retailers.
“Voters do not see tariffs as helping vulnerable communities including blue collar workers, rural communities, families with young children, low-income households, the elderly and farmers.
“Tariffs are a tax paid by the U.S. importer that will be passed along to the end consumer. Tariffs will not be paid by foreign countries or suppliers.
“Even more so, the immediate implementation of these tariffs is a massive undertaking and requires both advance notice and substantial preparation by the millions of U.S. businesses that will be directly impacted.
“We encourage President Trump to hold trading partners accountable and restore fairness for American businesses without creating economic uncertainty and higher prices for American families.”
About NRF
The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com