Stars, Stripes, and Sticker Shock: Trump’s Tariff-Laden Fourth of July

Stars, Stripes, and Sticker Shock: Trump’s Tariff-Laden Fourth of July

As families fire up the grill and head to the pool this Fourth of July weekend, President Trump’s tariffs and economic policies are lighting a fuse under the cost of nearly every summer staple. Backyard traditions have become budgeting headaches with grill prices up, beef costs hitting record highs, and swimsuits coming with steeper price tags.

With the threat of more price hikes looming as we near the end of the 90-day pause on Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, the average effective tariff rate is still at 15.8% – the highest since before World War II. Experts estimate that American households have already lost roughly $2,000 in annual purchasing power due to Trump’s ill-conceived trade wars.

At the same time, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are rushing to pass a wildly unpopular budget bill that will give tax breaks to billionaires and raise costs for everyone else.

Groundwork Collaborative’s Executive Director Lindsay Owens released the following statement:

“This Independence Day, Americans are feeling the heat — and it’s not just around the grill, but at the grocery store and gas pump thanks to Trump’s tariffs burning a hole in their budgets.

“Americans deserve economic freedom, not higher prices and fewer choices in the name of false ‘liberation.’ Trump’s trade war is turning the U.S. into the Land of the Fee, and it’s working families that are forced to pay.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S TARIFF-LADEN FOURTH OF JULY

• Grills: 
  • Firing up the grill this year will burn a bigger hole in your wallet than ever. Barbecue grills, 96% of which are manufactured in China, are vulnerable to surging prices. Top-rated brands like Weber and Traeger have already raised prices across all models. In states like Ohio and Georgia, customers are being warned that Weber grills could cost up to 30% more, driven by steep tariffs on steel and aluminum—key components in most grills.
• Fireworks: 
  • Fireworks might fizzle this Fourth of July. With over 95% of U.S. fireworks imported from China, ​​tariffs are lighting up costs, prompting some retailers to hike prices as much as 10% and making it an increasingly “scary reality” to keep prices affordable for consumers amidst an uncertain tariff environment.
• Beef: 
  • Backyard burgers and hotdogs are coming with record-high price tags this year. Ground beef is now a record $5.98 per pound, and sirloin steak has shot up to $12.20. Overall, beef and veal prices have increased by 8.6% over the past year, far outpacing overall inflation.
  • Domestic beef prices are climbing as the U.S. cattle herd shrinks to its smallest size since 1951, the result of prolonged drought and rising feed costs that pushed ranchers to cut back. With domestic supply at record lows and 10% tariffs on imported beef from Brazil and Australia in effect, families are feeling the squeeze at the meat counter just as grilling season hits full swing.
• Beer: 
  • Cracking open a cold one is getting more expensive. Across the country, local and regional breweries are raising their beer prices. At Patron Saints Brewery, a local brewery in Ohio, beers that used to cost $6 now goes for $8. In Maryland, Union Craft Brewing expects six-packs to jump by $1, and Heavy Seas Brewing has already canceled equipment orders due to skyrocketing costs.
  • More than 3 in 4 packaged beers in the US are sold in aluminum cans, explaining the spike in costs as brewers face a 50% aluminum tariff. As Trump’s newly doubled tariff rate rattles markets, small breweries are already ‘scrambling’ to manage the impact of his initial tariffs—which suppliers say raised can prices by 1 to 2.5 cents, driving up breweries’ operating costs by 5–10%.
• Gas:
  • Thinking of a July 4th road trip? Get ready for a pricier ride. Treasury Secretary Bessent may have claimed that families are saving enough from falling gas prices to offset the cost of tariffs, but the math doesn’t add up. Since Trump returned to office, gas has risen from an average of $3.04 a gallon to $3.20 a gallon.
• Air Conditioning:
  • As heatwaves shatter more than 2,800 records nationwide, the cost of staying cool is rising fast. Some HVAC manufacturers have raised prices three to four times this year. Lenox, one of the largest U.S. producers, says tariffs alone pushed its prices up by 7%.
• Swimwear:
  • As Americans head to the pool this Fourth of July, they’re feeling the heat – not just from the sun, but from soaring pool-day costs as Trump’s tariffs make it pricier to take a dip. Over one-third of women’s swimsuits and 11% of men’s swimwear sold in the U.S. are imported from China
  • Meanwhile, other summer wardrobe staples aren’t being spared. Eighty percent of rubber shoes like flip-flops and 35% of sunglasses are imported from China, facing steep price hikes. Popular brands like Birkenstock, a sandal company, and Ray-Ban, a luxury sunglasses maker, are also raising prices just in time for the holiday.
• Outdoor Activities: 
  • Outdoor toys are collateral damage in Trump’s trade war. With 80% of toys and more than 60% of pool equipment sold in the U.S. made in China, companies are struggling to manage skyrocketing import costs. Prices for innertubes, pool noodles, and other water toys are set to climb over 37%. Even water guns are feeling the squeeze: Basic Fun!, the U.S. maker of Nerf squirt guns, halted shipments and warned that reinstating the 125% tariff could turn a $30 toy into a $70 splurge.