More than 52 percent of Texans voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Now the wallet of everyone in the state may feel the consequences.
About $3.9 billion in Texas-produced exports are under threat due to President Trump’s escalating trade war, according to a new study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Data collected by the nation’s biggest business organization shows that Texas and other states that helped Trump win the White House face the heaviest brunt of his protectionist trade policies.
Of the 10 states facing the biggest financial losses, seven voted for Trump in the presidential election, according to the report. In addition to Texas, those include Louisiana, Alabama, Ohio, South Carolina, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
At the risk of over-explaining things, declining trade puts jobs at risk. If your company doesn’t have overseas orders, you don’t need to employ as many people making your stuff, delivering it or selling it. By the U.S. Chamber’s calculation, nearly 3.2 million Texas jobs are dependent on international trade.
Since the president began ratcheting up his mine’s-bigger-than-yours confrontation with the U.S.’s top trading partners, we’ve already seen San Antonio brewers warn of price increases from costlier packaging materials and a Baytown steel pope plant say it’s about to scrap a job-creating expansion.
The three Texas industries facing the biggest risk are all big traders with Canada, which has announced $12.6 billion in retaliatory tariffs against American-made products since Trump placed new tariffs on its aluminum steel. Those most at risk:
- Iron or steel casings for oil and gas drilling — $86 million in annual exports to Canada
- Polymer or ethylene bags — $79 million in annual exports to Canada
- Refrigerator-freezers with separate doors — $30 million in annual exports to Canada
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This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2018.
