The Port of Los Angeles, the busiest in the Western Hemisphere, has seen a 35% drop in cargo volume compared to the same period last year, according to Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director. The drop reflects the harsh impact of recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. 

Pushback on Fox News

The economic fallout from these tariffs sparked a heated exchange on the recent Fox News “The Five” show. One of the hosts, Jessica Tarlov, argued that despite the administration’s attempts to downplay the impact, the consequences are already being felt.

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As she wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, “It’s incredible the Trump Administration is acting like this isn't a big deal.”

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She argued that countries are finding ways to adapt to the tariffs, noting that Canada has increased its exports to other markets by 25% since the tariffs were introduced. Co-host Jesse Watters challenged this claim, insisting that Canada’s economy is struggling, but Tarlov stood firm, saying, “I do look at the statistics all day.”

She also cited comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who, at the time, acknowledged that the U.S. hadn’t had direct trade talks with China, despite Trump’s claims to the contrary. Tarlov noted that Bessent told Congress the administration has engaged with 17 countries about trade, but not China, which remains the critical player in the ongoing dispute.

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Impact on Workers and Local Businesses

For workers like Charlie Camacho, a longshore worker whose family has worked at the port for three generations, the decline is already hitting home. Speaking to NPR, Camacho described the struggle to find work as container volumes plummet. “Less volume of cargo containers means less work for us,” he said. “We feel it, we definitely feel it.”

It’s not just dockworkers feeling the squeeze. Small business owners like Frank Groves, who sells gloves and safety gear to port workers, have also seen their income collapse. Groves told NPR that his business is down nearly 75% in recent weeks. “No sales at all really. If they aren’t working, I don’t make money,” he said.

As the debate over tariffs continues, it's clear that the economic fallout is already hitting American businesses and workers hard, despite the administration’s attempts to downplay the impact.

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