Tariffs Are Putting U.S. Manufacturing Jobs at Risk

Tariffs are often sold as a way to bring manufacturing back to the United States. But for many American manufacturers, they’re doing the opposite—making it harder to produce goods here at home.

Letter signer Eric Fox, owner of Buchla, a company that builds electronic musical instruments, explains how tariffs are driving up costs for U.S. producers and threatening American jobs:

“I make electronic musical instruments and most of our production is actually in the USA by hard working Americans. These tariffs are however affecting the components used to make these instruments. There are no electronic components made in America that even exist, so we are paying tens of thousands of dollars in taxes (that’s what tariffs are) just to continue to build our product. In order to offset the price increase, I actually might need to make some products overseas just so I can maintain the same price for the American made products I have been selling.”

Eric’s story shows how tariffs can backfire—hurting the very goal they claim to support. When critical components aren’t made in the U.S., tariffs simply become a tax on American manufacturers who rely on imported parts to keep production running.

The result? Higher costs, lower margins, and the real possibility of shifting production overseas to stay competitive. That means fewer U.S. manufacturing jobs, not more.

If we want to strengthen American manufacturing, we need policies that make it easier—not harder—to build products in the United States.

📢 Join us in calling for change. Sign our open letter to Congress to urge relief for small businesses across America.