Jimmy Kimmel has laid out a potential flaw in president-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico on the day he takes office. Trump has also said he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on China, sparking fears that a bitter global trade war would take place. Every year, the three countries account for about 40 percent of goods brought into the United States.
However, Kimmel has pointed out that some of Trump’s own merchandise was made in these countries. “If you want to purchase a tie from the Donald J Trump collection, you better get it immediately or it’s going to cost an extra 10 percent,” the Jimmel Kimmel Live host joked, according to Independent.
Last month, an Associated Press investigation revealed that Trump’s ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles were printed in China for an estimated $3 or less. They were later sold for a minimum of $59.99. On the president-elect’s online store, his red ‘Make America Great Again’ caps are labeled as ‘made in America,’ however, several other products’ origins are unclear.
During Trump’s campaign, Chinese manufacturers reportedly capitalised on key moments with various unofficial, knock-off merchandise. For instance, it printed T-shirts of a bloodied Trump after he survived an assassation attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, the South China Morning Post reported. At Trump’s MAGA rallies, his supporters widely used such products.
Kimmel claimed that Trump’s plan will hurt the American consumer and not the country of origin, as opposed to the president-elect’s claims. “The problem is, China and Canada and Mexico don’t actually pay the tariffs,” Kimmel explained. “The American company that imports their goods pays the tariff, which they of course pass down to us.”
Kimmel also said that the Millennial breakfast of choice could be subject to increases in price. “And then we have $40 avocados as a result. This could send inflation through the roof,” he said. “Almost everyone who knows anything about economics believes these tariffs to be a terrible idea. Some say this is the dumbest thing he’s come up with since Don Jr.”
The retailer or manufacturer importing the goods, and not the country of origin, is supposed to pay tariffs to the federal government. Therefore, the higher costs from Trump’s tariffs will possibly be passed onto consumers by American companies, by raising retail prices. This will ultimately hit American wallets.
“Mexico makes all kinds of things. They make cars, they make trucks, they make instruments, they make tickets, they make the best damn late-night sidekicks in the world,” Kimmel said. “And poor Canada is like, ‘What did we do? I mean, be honest, is this because of Drake?’”
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