The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has expressed concerns over President-elect Trump's proposed tariff increases on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. Gary Shapiro, CEO of CTA, issued a statement highlighting the potential negative impacts of these tariffs on the U.S. economy.

"President-elect Trump’s proposed sweeping new tariffs of 25% on all imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on top of existing tariffs on all imports from China, collectively, our top three trading partners, if implemented, will be a major inflation-causing tax on Americans and harmful to the U.S. economy," Shapiro stated.

The CTA estimates that these tariffs could affect over $350 billion in U.S. imports of technology products and inputs from these countries. The association urges policymakers to consider the implications of such measures, warning that they could isolate the U.S. economy from its trading partners and provoke retaliatory actions against American exporters.

Shapiro further noted that "higher tariffs on our closest allies and trading partners like Canada and Mexico are counterproductive and will only lead to harm to U.S. businesses and consumers." He emphasized that CTA takes all proposed tariffs seriously given Trump's history of implementing similar measures during his first term.

According to a CTA study titled "How the Proposed Trump Tariffs Increase Prices for Consumer Technology Products," significant price hikes for consumer electronics are anticipated if these tariffs are enacted. Laptops and tablets could see a 46% increase in prices, video game consoles by 40%, and smartphones by 26%. The study also indicates that production might shift away from China rather than returning to the United States due to a 60% flat tariff.

CTA plans to update this study for CES 2025 to explore how additional tariff scenarios would impact consumer technology prices in the U.S. "Tariffs are taxes that Americans pay and are ineffective and economically dangerous tools," Shapiro concluded.

The Consumer Technology Association is North America's largest tech trade group representing leading innovators worldwide. It organizes CES, an influential tech event showcasing breakthrough technologies globally.

CES 2025 is scheduled for January 7-10 in Las Vegas.