Overview

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told lawmakers that goods built in America would be exempt from tariffs, framing the policy as a tool to boost domestic manufacturing.
• Rep. Madeleine Dean highlighted the policy’s limitations by noting that bananas cannot be cultivated at scale in the United States.
• The 10% banana tariff has already led Walmart to raise banana prices by 8%, directly affecting consumer costs.
• Domestic production amounts to roughly 3,500 metric tonnes compared to over five million metric tonnes imported annually from Guatemala, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
• Critics warn that the administration’s tariff approach drives up living expenses and adds uncertainty for both consumers and businesses.