...we should take Trump at his word when he said he wouldn't do something (implement Project 2025). Now you are asking us to disbelieve Trump when he says he will do something.
You can't have it both ways, Bill.
His 60% tariff proposal on goods being imported from China into the US is an explicit campaign promise. In this video, he is telling a Fox News host that he might impose tariffs on China at a rate more than 60% :
We all understand that there are existing US tariffs on some Chinese goods and that those tariffs presently do not affect plastic models and 3D-printed products. But Trump has been publicly stating for at least a year that he will impose tariffs at rates of 60% or more on all Chinese goods. That is profoundly different than the current tariff structure.
And "all Chinese imports" implies those tariffs will extend to toys, plastic models, modeling tools and paints, 3D-printed models, 3D printing resins, 3D-printers, 3D-printing consumables and repair parts, packing materials, etc., that come from China.
Note that this might be particularly bad for US vendors who rely on materials sourced from China. American vendors will have to raise prices to compensate for the 60% or more tariffs. But their competitors overseas will not be burdened by the tariffs and can keep their prices stable. When American vendors raise their prices, their customers are likely to shift their buying away from American vendors toward cheaper, overseas competitors.
Also note that the US dollar presently is doing very well against many European currencies. This means that US modelers have stronger buying power when purchasing from European vendors than they would if the dollar was weak. This is even more impetus for American consumers to buy overseas after the implementation of 60% (+) tariffs, further harming US vendors.
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