On April 3, 2025 the world is talking about US President Donald Trump’s new plan to put tariffs-extra taxes-on goods coming into America from other countries. He calls these “reciprocal tariffs” meaning if another country taxes American products the US will tax their products the same way. Trump says this will make America rich again by protecting its businesses and bringing back jobs. But not everyone agrees. Indian American lawmakers in the US have come out strongly against this idea calling it “self destructive” and warning that it could hurt America more than help it.
What Are These Tariffs About?
Trump’s big idea is to charge a 10% tax on almost everything the US buys from other countries. On top of that he wants even higher taxes-like 34% on goods from China and 20% on stuff from Europe. He announced this plan on what he calls “Liberation Day” saying it’s a way to fix trade problems and make American companies stronger. He believes other countries have been unfair to the US for years charging high taxes on American goods while sending their own products to the US cheaply. Trump thinks matching their taxes will force them to play fair.
The plan sounds bold and Trump’s supporters love it. They say it’s about time America stood up for itself. But Indian American lawmakers-like Ro Khanna Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal-disagree. They think this could backfire badly.
Why Indian American Lawmakers Are Worried
These lawmakers who have Indian roots but work in the US government say Trump’s tariffs are a reckless move. Their main worry? Prices will go up. When you tax things coming into the country-like clothes, electronics or car parts—it costs more to bring them in. Companies then pass those costs to regular people. So everyday stuff could get more expensive for Americans from groceries to phones.
They also say jobs could be lost not gained. Sure tariffs might help some American factories by making foreign goods costlier. But other countries might fight back with their own taxes on US products-like crops, planes or tech. If that happens American farmers and businesses that sell overseas could lose money and cut jobs. The lawmakers call this “self destructive” because it might hurt the US economy instead of making it stronger.
Another big point they make is that Trump’s plan won’t really make America wealthy again. They argue that the world’s economy is too connected now. Countries depend on each other for trade. If the US starts a trade war-where everyone keeps adding taxes-it could slow down business everywhere including in America. The lawmakers think Trump’s idea ignores how complicated global trade is.
What Does This Mean for India?
India has a special angle in this story. The US and India trade a lot-about $66 billion worth of goods each year. Indian American lawmakers are worried about how these tariffs could hit India. Things like medicines, jewelry and machinery that India sends to the US might face higher taxes. That could make them less competitive meaning fewer sales and less money for Indian businesses.
But theres a twist. Trump has said India’s pharmaceutical industry-its medicine making companies-might get a break from these tariffs. That’s good news for India because it sends a lot of affordable drugs to the US. Still the lawmakers say this isn’t enough. They think the overall damage from tariffs will outweigh any small benefits.
The Bigger Picture: Will It Work?
Trump says these tariffs will bring a rebirth of American manufacturing. He wants companies to move factories back to the US and hire more American workers. But experts are not so sure. Studies from Trump’s earlier tariffs show they didn’t create many jobs. For example taxes on steel did not boost steel industry employment much-it stayed flat. Critics say trade deficits-when a country buys more than it sells-are not just about tariffs. Things like how strong the dollar is or what people want to buy matter more.
Plus other countries are not happy. China has called the tariffs unfair and warned they will hurt global supply chains-like the system that gets goods from one place to another. Europe says it might tax US exports in return. Even allies like Canada and Mexico are upset. If everyone starts fighting over trade it could lead to higher prices and fewer jobs worldwide.
What Do People Think?
On social media like X opinions are split. Some Americans cheer Trump on saying it’s time to protect US workers. Others including Indian Americans echo the lawmakers fears about costs going up. Posts on X show frustration from people who think tariffs will make life harder for regular folks while helping big companies or rich people more.
My Take: A Risky Gamble
So is Trump’s tariff plan a genius move or a big mistake? It’s hard to say for sure right now. On one hand it’s true that some countries tax US goods more than the US taxes theirs. Fixing that sounds fair. But the way Trump’s doing it-with huge taxes on almost everyone-feels like a gamble. If it works, maybe some American industries will grow. If it fails prices could rise jobs could disappear and the US might lose friends abroad.
The Indian American lawmakers make a strong case: this could hurt more than it helps. They are not alone-some Republican lawmakers from farming states agree worried about their local economies. For now the world’s watching to see what happens next. Will Trump’s “Liberation Day” free America’s economy or tie it up in a bigger mess? Only time will tell.