Auto-industry on the Coast preparing for tariffs

GULFPORT, Miss (WXXV) – Today, President Trump announced a 90 day pause on tariffs with the exception of China.

Businesses along the Coast now have more time to plan for the implementation of Trump’s tariffs of additional goods from China.

The 90-day delay is intended to ease trade tensions between the two countries while providing time for more negotiations. It also means that the cost of importing car and car parts could be lower during this 90-day period.

News 25 spoke with the Anthony Seal, the owner of Seal’s Tire and Auto Repair, to see how he’s gearing up for the tariffs. “We’re preparing for it now. We’ve talked to a lot of suppliers and there is a lot coming up that we are prepared for, but it’s going to be an ongoing thing. The biggest thing that would affect us is tires. A lot of tires are produced in Asian countries so a lot of that is going to affect tires, but also parts, individual parts products that make parts, computer chips that type of stuff. It’s really going to be something, consumer wise I think it’s going to affect everybody across the board. “

While President Trump’s tariffs could drive up prices for auto-parts and potentially harm auto sales due to higher costs, the impact could also lead to growth in U.S. domestic auto-production over time.

The overall effect on the industry would depend on how manufacturers adjust their supply chains and how consumers respond to price changes.

Stay tuned to WXXV News 25 for the latest on President Trump and tariff updates.