President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of sweeping new tariffs—now dubbed “Liberation Day”—is already sending shockwaves through global supply chains. With nearly all trading partners facing minimum 10% tariffs, and even steeper rates for those with trade surpluses, several global brands are now rethinking their U.S. shipments.
Luxury Cars Go MIA
Audi has suspended all new vehicle deliveries to the U.S., with post-April 2 shipments being held. Dealers are now focusing on selling off the remaining 37,000 units, expected to last just two months.
Jaguar Land Rover has also paused exports to the U.S., while Nissan is pulling two Infiniti SUV models made in Mexico from the American market. Mercedes-Benz is considering dropping its cheapest cars entirely, citing unviable costs under the new tariff regime.
Gaming Takes a Hit
Nintendo has delayed pre-orders for its much-hyped Switch 2 console, originally set for April 9. While the June 5 release date remains unchanged, the setback reveals how even the tech giants are scrambling to cope with the added cost burden.
No More Japanese Whiskey?
Whiskey lovers may soon struggle to find top-shelf Japanese labels like Hibiki and Yamazaki. Suntory, the company behind them, said it might reroute products to Asia and domestic markets if the tariffs make U.S. sales too costly.
“If prices become too high for U.S. consumers, we can easily shift to other regions,” said Suntory President Nobuhiro Torii.
With tariffs biting into profit margins and making imports more expensive, U.S. shoppers could soon see fewer options—and steeper prices—on store shelves. As the trade war escalates, “Made in America” might become less of a patriotic choice and more of a survival strategy for American consumers.
