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Apr 10th, 2025, 3:04 PM ET·Politics

Escalating U.S.-China Trade War Forces Apple to Navigate Tough Terrain Amid Rising Tariffs

Apple faces global price increases due to U.S.-China trade tensions, as tariffs impact supply chains and consumer sentiment declines sharply.


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Summary

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In a significant escalation of trade tensions, China has increased tariffs on U.S. imports from 84% to 125%, amid President Trump's 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. Markets are experiencing volatility, with experts warning of a looming recession. Apple's iPhone production faces pressure as tariffs affect costs, with further predictions of global price hikes. This situation is compounded by Trump's criticisms over the delay of his TikTok deal and rising U.S. consumer sentiment anxiety— the latest index dropped to a low since the pandemic. Despite leveraging its $500 billion U.S. investment plan, analysts question Apple's ability to fully mitigate tariff impacts.

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  • Trump's abrupt tariff decisions have caused chaos in global markets, reflecting poorly on his economic leadership and raising concerns about rising costs for consumers.
  • Despite the pause, high tariffs remain in place, particularly against China, leading to worries of increased living expenses and potential negative effects on the economy.
  • Critics argue that the tariffs disproportionately affect average Americans with higher prices while failing to address structural issues in international trade. The latest consumer sentiment data, showing a significant drop, reinforces concerns that Trump's trade policies are damaging public confidence.
Sorry, America, tariffs won’t bring jobs back
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Ceteris Paribus, imposing blanket tariffs will do more harm than good, but it is worth understanding the reason behind it."

WATCH LIVE: White House holds news briefing as China again retaliates against Trump tariffs
PBS NewsHourPBS NewsHour·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The risk that this escalating trade war tips the world into a recession is rising as the two largest and most powerful countries in the world continue to punch back with higher and higher tariffs."

Why China Won’t Give In to Trump
The AtlanticThe Atlantic·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Trump’s approach so far doesn’t invite this outcome."

Democrats call for insider trading investigation over Trump’s tariff pause
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The senators accuse Trump of announcing “a series of erratic, reckless tariffs, leading to significant market turmoil”, adding: “As a direct result of this chaos, the US financial markets have experienced dramatic declines over the course of just a few days.”"

China responds to new Trump tariffs, will raise rate on American goods to 125 percent
PBS NewsHourPBS NewsHour·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The risk that this escalating trade war tips the world into a recession is rising as the two largest and most powerful countries in the world continue to punch back with higher and higher tariffs."

$2,150 for an iPhone? Trump tariffs are ‘category 5 price storm’
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Apple faces paying a hefty sum on any iPhone brought into the US, which is likely to be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices."

China raises stakes in Trump’s tariffs ‘game’ with 125% levy on US goods
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The US alternately raising abnormally high tariffs on China has become a numbers game, which has no practical economic significance, and will become a joke in the history of the world economy."

China Unveils Countermeasures, Raises Tariffs on U.S. Goods
TIME MagazineTIME Magazine·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Given the size of the two economies, experts fear global economic turmoil."

Will Trump’s tariff chaos be China’s gain in global trade wars?
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…China, insisting it will fight to the end, will now have to judge whether it has the firepower to withstand a trade war or find a way to open talks."

So … What's Going on With the Tariffs Now?
Rolling StoneRolling Stone·1M·
Left
This outlet favors left-wing views.

"…The markets corrected a little following Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, but they dropped again on Thursday, and it’s hard to imagine that the president’s back-and-forth tariff agenda is going to inspire a ton of economic trust."

Trump’s about-face on tariffs reveals chaos at the core of his presidency
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Trump has marketed his leadership on a message of strength, which has communicated itself to congressional Republicans, who – with a few notable exceptions – have fallen publicly into line with his tariff policies, whatever their qualms."

The Tariff Damage That Can’t Be Undone
The AtlanticThe Atlantic·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The problem is that nothing here has ended well."

Trump Didn’t Actually Undo Tariffs
The AtlanticThe Atlantic·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The American average tariff rate today will be 10 times higher than it was in January."

Trade Catastrophe Could Be the Thing That Finally Tears the GOP Apart
The NationThe Nation·1M·
Far Left
This outlet leans heavily toward left-wing views.

"…This backward-spooling reasoning is evidence of many things, no doubt, but the efficacy of tariffs in leveling global market access—let alone stoking a full-fledged domestic manufacturing revival—isn’t among them."

China to restrict US film releases after Trump’s tariff hike
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
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"…However, Thursday’s measure comes as a significant blow to western studios, with Bloomberg reporting shares of Walt Disney Co, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros Discovery Inc all suffering an immediate decline."

Apple said to be flying iPhones from India to US to avoid Trump tariffs
The GuardianThe Guardian·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Analysts have warned that moving iPhone production to the US would be prohibitively expensive because of factors such as the cost of paying hundreds of thousands of workers."

Trump-China tariff war: What could the US gain and lose?
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Still, not all of Trump’s tariffs have been lifted."

Amid Trump Tariffs, What Should Consumers Stock Up On?
TIME MagazineTIME Magazine·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…However, supporters of “slow fashion,” which advocates higher quality and longer lasting materials, see the tariffs as an opportunity for Americans to take a closer look at secondhand shopping, which can be more eco and budget-friendly."

Stocks soar: Why Trump faces scrutiny over tariff pause timing
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Democrats have accused Trump of deliberately creating market fluctuations by flip-flopping between imposing and lifting tariffs."

China Reaching Out To Other Nations Amid Escalating Trade War With U.S.
HuffPostHuffPost·1M·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…It’s not clear what further steps China will take, but the Foreign Ministry’s Lin said China will not sit idly by and let the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese people be deprived of, nor will we allow the international trade rules and multilateral trading system to be undermined."

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Escalating U.S.-China Trade War Forces Apple to Navigate Tough Terrain Amid Rising Tariffs - Pano News