In a recent episode of Planet Money Indicator, the story of New Jersey bag manufacturer Kim Veccarella highlights the contradictions in President Trump's economic policies. Although Trump pushed for tariffs to strengthen American manufacturing and a weaker dollar to help exporters, the episode reveals that these tariffs actually led to a stronger dollar. This made American goods pricier abroad, negatively impacting businesses like Veccarella's. As a result, she had to absorb some costs and raise her prices, eventually prompting her to consider moving some of her manufacturing operations overseas.
