Report: Trump Tariffs Mean Higher Prices, Lost Jobs in Washington State

Efrem Fesaha was riding high on the coffee boom in Seattle. Starting in 2012, he opened four Boon Boona coffeeshops, several cafes in local businesses and built a thriving wholesale business focused on African coffee. But President Donald Trump’s stiff tariffs on coffee and other imports is casting a cloud over his business, causing “constant worry’’ over coffee prices and stalling his expansion plans.

Fesaha’s business is just one of many across Washington State shocked by Trump’s tariffs. As the nation’s most trade-reliant state, our economy is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of tariffs, which are passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for imported goods.

With a new economic analysis, Gov. Bob Ferguson has attempted to quantify tariffs’ long-term effects on prices, cargo flows through maritime ports, and job growth in the state.

“The Trump Administration’s chaotic tariff implementation is already wreaking havoc on Washington’s economy and our businesses’ ability to plan for the future,” Ferguson said at a press conference Sept. 4. “This report makes it clear: The full implementation of President Trump’s tariffs will be devastating for Washington state families, businesses and our state budget.”

https://www.postalley.org/2025/09/22/report-trump-tariffs-mean-higher-prices-lost-jobs-in-washington-state/