Tariffs in Black and White
When economic policy becomes a tool for punishment
I’ve been following the tariff news — likely you have too. On April 5, 2025, Trump announced a sweeping 10% tariff on all imports, with much higher penalties for certain countries. But as I looked more closely, something didn’t sit right.
Lesotho: 50% tariffs—Lesotho exports textiles and mohair, much of it to U.S. brands.
Bangladesh: 45% tariffs—Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest garment exporters, employing millions of women.
Madagascar 47% tariffs—Madagascar produces vanilla, textiles, and seafood.
Botswana 38%—is a leading source of diamonds, though its people .see only a fraction of that wealth.
Vietnam 46%, Cambodia 49%, Sri Lanka 44%, and Laos 48% are major players in affordable clothing manufacturing
These aren’t industrial powerhouses. Many are dependent on exporting garments or agriculture to the United States, the kinds of industries that already struggle to compete globally. The largest penalties were not aimed at economic rivals, but at small, low-income countries in Africa and Asia, often nations of Black and Brown people.
So I started asking: Why these countries? Why these products? Why now?
Not About Trade
We’re told tariffs are about fairness — correcting trade imbalances, boosting American manufacturing, making sure countries “reciprocate.” But if that were truly the goal, why punish Lesotho? A small, landlocked country known mostly for its textiles and mohair?
And why exempt places like Norway?
When you lay the list of targeted countries side by side, something becomes uncomfortably clear: this isn’t just economic policy. It looks a lot like racialized punishment.
Patterns, Not Accidents
This isn’t the first time Trump’s policies have disproportionately harmed non-white countries and communities.
The “Muslim Ban” targeted nations in Africa and the Middle East
Haitian, El Salvadoran, and Sudanese immigrants lost protected status
Puerto Rico’s post-hurricane relief was slower, stingier, and often politicized
Black Lives Matter protesters were met with force, while white nationalist rallies got nods of approval
These aren’t isolated decisions. They’re part of a pattern.
Who Gets Hurt?
These tariffs won’t just raise prices. They could devastate small economies — especially those dependent on U.S. markets. Workers in garment factories in Madagascar or Lesotho may lose their jobs. Exporters in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka could shut down. These are lives disrupted, families uprooted, futures erased — not just numbers in a spreadsheet.
And yes, consumers here may feel it too. But let’s not pretend this is about fairness.
Why I’m Writing This
I’m not an economist or a policy expert. I’m just someone who asks questions and follows patterns. What I see here isn’t random. It’s targeted, intentional, and cruel — and it reflects something deeper about how power works, and who it chooses to punish.
Fighting Back
If you’re disturbed by these patterns, you’re not alone. These groups are pushing back — through law, advocacy, organizing, and care:
https://www.raicestexas.org/ Legal aid for immigrants and refugees
https://unitedwedream.org/ Youth-led immigrant advocacy
https://www.aclu.org – Legal challenges to discriminatory policies
https://secure.splcenter.org/ Southern Poverty Law Center – Monitoring hate groups and fighting systemic injustice
https://m4bl.org/ Movement for Black Lives – Grassroots organizing for racial and economic justice
Even small actions matter. Listening, reading, talking, sharing — they all help. So does refusing to look away.
Stay tuned for part two: Why Lesotho matters