NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Some Tennessee farmers, business owners and consumers have felt the “short-term disturbance” President Donald Trump warned Americans about in light of tariffs on goods from China, Mexico and Canada.
News 2 spoke with Tennesseans who had differing opinions on the latest changes in Washington D.C.
George Kim, who said he didn’t vote in the 2024 presidential election, is on a fixed income and expressed worry about higher prices.
"I think [tariffs are] going to ruin the U.S.,” he said. "It's only costing [Americans] by putting tariffs on other countries."
China announced a 15% retaliatory tariff on several U.S. farm products — including soybeans, a major export for Tennessee. Some Canadian provinces had removed Jack Daniel's products from store shelves in light of the tariffs.
"I think the tariffs are a great idea because we're the big dog in the yard and they're all going to have to capitulate to it because without us as a customer, they've got no business,” Wilson County resident Bill Pratt said.
At the same time, the Department of Government Efficiency announced a Social Security Administration office in Nashville had landed on its list for spending cuts. Additionally, an Internal Revenue Service national office in Franklin, a Food and Drug Administration office in Nashville and a Natural Resources Conservation office in Gallatin were included on the "Wall of Receipts."
Earlier this year, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn claimed DOGE was saving the federal government around $1 billion per day.
"I think everybody wants to have peace and prosperity across this great nation, but there's always a different way to do things,” Wilson County resident Ben Chism told News 2.