Trump’s trade policies weigh on US port operations and freight volumes — FT

According to the Financial Times, Trump’s trade policies are hurting the US economy due to the confrontation with China.

Logistics firms are reporting a sharp drop in shipments from China, with port operators and air freight managers confirming the downturn. At the Port of Los Angeles, America’s busiest gateway for Asian imports, operators expect cargo volumes to drop by a third starting May 4, 2025, compared to last year. According to Vizion's data, container bookings from China to the US plummeted 45% year-over-year by mid-April 2025.

The decline comes from 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting US firms to halt purchases while awaiting a potential trade deal between Washington and Beijing. As International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John Denton noted, these high duties could make US import costs the highest since the 1930s.

April 2025 saw a dramatic escalation in the US-China trade tensions, as the world's two largest economies slapped reciprocal tariffs exceeding 100% on each other's goods, the Financial Times reports.