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Trade Tensions and Tariffs: Who Bears the Cost in These Shifting Trade Patterns?
January 21, 2025 | Shawn DuBravac, IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute

During his 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump suggested imposing a universal tariff of at least 10% on all imports, as well as a 60% tariff on goods originating from China. More recently, he proposed implementing blanket tariffs of 25% on all products imported from Canada and Mexico and adding a further 10% tariff to all existing duties on Chinese imports.
These potential measures emerge against a backdrop of shifting trade patterns. In 2023, Mexico surpassed China as the United States’ top source of imported goods for the first time since the early 1990s, helping make Mexico the leading U.S. trading partner, followed by Canada and then China.
These key U.S. trading partnershave signaled the possibility of retaliatory measures in response to higher U.S. tariffs. Such signals underscore escalating trade tensions and reflect how economic tools are being used to address broader issues, including geopolitical rivalry, supply chain disruptions, and market competitiveness.
The specifics of any additional tariffs—when they would be implemented and which goods they would cover—remain uncertain. Their potential impact is also unclear. However, research on previous tariff increases suggests negative consequences not only for trade volumes but also for businesses.
Read the rest of this article in the Winter 2025 issue of IPC Community.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
07/11/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineThis week, we have quite a variety of news items and articles for you. News continues to stream out of Washington, D.C., with tariffs rearing their controversial head again. Because these tariffs are targeted at overseas copper manufacturers, this news has a direct effect on our industry.I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
Trump Copper Tariffs Spark Concern
07/10/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPresident Donald Trump stated on July 8 that he plans to impose a 50% tariff on copper imports, sparking concern in a global industry whose output is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, semiconductors, and a wide range of consumer goods. According to Yahoo Finance, copper futures climbed over 2% following tariff confirmation.
Webinar Review: A Global Trade and Economy in Flux
07/09/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn a July 8 webinar, Global Electronics Association Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac provided a comprehensive analysis of the evolving international trade environment, its implications for inflation, monetary policy, and labor dynamics, and a sober assessment of market valuations. In “Navigating a Shifting Landscape” DuBravac painted a picture of a global economy in flux, where shifting trade alliances and tariff structures are redrawing the supply chain map and influencing the broader economic landscape, while also conveying an overall bullish market outlook.
IPC Update on the Latest U.S.– China Trade Announcement
06/18/2025 | IPCOn June 12, the Trump Administration announced an agreement to implement the framework of the trade deal with China reached earlier in May. Reports indicate the following high-level terms: A 55% combined tariff on imports from China, 10% “reciprocal” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 20% IEEPA-based fentanyl tariffs, and Existing Section 301 tariffs, which in many cases are 25%.
The Government Circuit: From Tax Policy to Tariffs, Denver to Delhi, Speaking Up for Electronics
06/18/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitI had the privilege of attending the June 3 opening ceremony of AT&S’s HTB3 facility in Leoben, Austria—a milestone moment for Europe’s electronics ecosystem. HTB3 is now the first and only facility in Europe capable of both developing and producing high-performance IC substrates—the advanced platforms that allow powerful chips to connect, process, and function. As demand for AI, 5G, and other cutting-edge technologies grows, so too does the need for sophisticated substrates like those HTB3 will produce.