Two dolls instead of 30? Toys become the latest symbol of Trump’s trade war
- President Donald Trump imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese-made toys in May 2025 in Washington to target imports from China.
- This tariff followed Trump's broader trade campaign on foreign goods including European wines, Mexican car parts, and foreign films.
- Nearly 80% of U.S. Toys come from China, leading companies like Mattel to raise prices and accelerate manufacturing shifts outside China.
- Trump stated children 'will be fine having two dolls,' while industry groups warn that ongoing tariffs risk holiday shortages and cheaper unsafe counterfeits.
- If tensions persist, supply disruptions could worsen, forcing firms to offshore production and limiting affordable toy availability for consumers.
60 Articles
60 Articles
Trump’s dismissive ‘doll’ talk is ‘gross’ and trivializes tariff pain for working families
Trump’s remarks about Americans needing to purchase less dolls to fix an economic crisis he manufactured is “condescending,” says fmr. California Rep. Katie Porter, a single mom of three. The dismissive rhetoric is aimed at prepping Americans for austerity, a drastic measure typically reserved for real national emergencies. But in this case, Trump created the problem to justify tax breaks for the wealthy. “This is not a man who's going to be pus…
More Dogs on Main: Keep an eye on your pencils
We live in interesting and puzzling times. After years of drowning in cheap consumer goods, we more or less have closed the door to imports from China. The president explained that young American girls will have to make do with only three or four dolls for Christmas this year instead of 30 or 38. It’s not clear what impact it will have on American boys, but presumably they will have the same sort of reduction in their gross domestic plastic toy …
Bill Maher Torches Trump Over ‘Two Dolls’ Rants: ‘Losing An Imaginary Negotiation — To Children’
Comic and political pundit Bill Maher mocked President Donald Trump as a “dealmaker-in-chief” who is losing an “imaginary negotiation” to hypothetical little girls in the midst of his global trade war. On Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, the interview guests was David Hogg, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and co-founder of the Leaders We Deserve PAC. The panel guests were Donna Brazile, political strateg…


Two dolls instead of 30? Toys become the latest symbol of Trump's trade war.
US President Donald Trump has directed his tariff crusade against a range of foreign products, from European wines and Mexican auto parts to foreign-made films. Lately, the president's errant anger has found…
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