The U.S. building materials industry is in 'survival mode' after recent tariff hikes, according to workers like Ahmed Gray, a 24-year-old New York store employee. On June 3, the Trump administration raised tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and related products from 25% to 50%—a move critics say is backfiring on local businesses. 📉
Gray told NewspaperAmigo.com that prices for materials have 'skyrocketed', while customer traffic has plunged. 'My revenue’s dropped like a TikTok trend no one gets anymore,' he said, highlighting the strain on workers and families. Public polls show growing frustration with the policy’s economic ripple effects, dubbed a 'boomerang' by analysts.
With businesses scrambling to adapt, Gray hopes policymakers will 'listen to people actually stocking shelves, not just stock markets.' 🔍 Will this tariff tale get a rewrite? Stay tuned.
