The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, CEO and Vice Chair of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
®:
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Tariffs are taxes on Americans and American business, not foreign governments or companies. Adding tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China will raise prices for Americans at a time when inflation and affordability is their top concern. Tariffs will drive inflation higher, just when we need lower inflation to drop interest rates. If we can drop interest rates two points, we could lower annual interest payments on the national debt by more than $700 billion.
Tariffs will spur inflation, and not just on groceries. CTA research
shows tariffs make the tech products Americans love and rely on more expensive. Our studies indicate that, if implemented as proposed by President Trump on the campaign trail, tariffs could result in a $90-143 billion decline in U.S. consumer purchasing power for technology products.
More, tariffs will strain our relationships with Canada and Mexico—two of our closest neighbors and key trading partners. These countries have already pledged to retaliate against U.S. exports, causing even more damage to the U.S. economy and creating a harmful cycle of retaliatory tariffs. Tariffs are tools for resolving trade disputes, not political bargaining chips for issues like immigration or drug control.
We urge President Trump to focus on reaching agreements with our trading partners that allow us to step back from costly trade fights and fuel the American economy, fight inflation, and protect the pocketbooks of millions of Americans.”
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About Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®:
As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES
® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at
CTA.tech. Follow us
@CTAtech.
About CES®:
CES is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2026 takes place Jan. 6-9, 2026, in Las Vegas. Learn more at
CES.tech and follow CES on
social.
