The Scoop: American tariffs roil the world. Here’s what it means for communicators.

President Donald Trump made good on campaign promises to impose stiff tariffs on some of the U.S.’s most prominent trading partners. A 25% tariff has been levied against Canada, while a similar tariff against Mexico has been put on hold for one month.A 10% tariff has also been placed against China. And that’s just the beginning: Trump has already said the EU is in his crosshairs – though he’s more confident a deal will be struck with the UK.

The targets of those tariffs aren’t taking this lying down – Canada has announced its own 25% penalty for American goods as well.

The tariffs will impact vast swaths of the US economy, ranging from food and alcohol to automobiles and computer chips to building inputs like lumber, gypsum, steel and more. It will also impact exports as nations place retaliatory tariffs on American-made goods, which could have drastic repercussions on American businesses and workers.

Why it matters: It will fall on communicators to explain to customers exactly how and when prices will change.

Price increases are always unpopular, especially in price sensitive sectors like groceries and gasoline. But these tariffs will have hidden ripple effects down through the economy – even if a company sells American-grown corn, for instance, their canning equipment may be made with steel from an impacted nation. Their need to build a new facility may be impacted by a lack of gypsum for drywall. And on and on down the line. So even goods that are technically 100% made in America can and will still be impacted by these tariffs, which is a complicated story to tell.

It will also prove difficult to tell that story without being seen to take a political side. Trump himself has admitted that the tariffs will cause “real pain” (though he added the caveat “MAYBE NOT” in all caps on Truth Social). Some companies may choose to oppose the tariffs openly and risk Trump’s ire; others will try to play it down the middle and explain impacts in a matter-of-fact way. And some which are less impacted by tariffs may raise prices to take advantage of the overall trend.

Ensure you are involved at the ground floor of these conversations. Come prepared with examples of what communications to customers, shareholders and employees might look like in various scenarios. Lean into infographics and videos that might be able to help simplify these complex conversations.

And prepare for a fluid situation. These tariffs were imposed quickly and could disappear quickly if Trump strikes a deal to his liking. All this preparation may be for naught – but it’s vital right now.

Editor’s Top Reads:

• Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong has taken a public stance in favor of Department of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr, posting 18 messages on X praising him in a four-day span. Some are concerned that support extends to the editorial pages of the Times. Eric Reinhart penned an op-ed for the paper originally headlined “RFK Jr.’s Wrecking Ball Won’t Fix Public Health.” When it was eventually published, the headline was “Trump’s healthcare disruption could pay off — if he pushes real reform.” Reinhart said key passages criticizing Kennedy were removed, leaving the impression he may support the nominee, which was not his intention. Editorial page editors claim all authors review their pieces before publication, but Reinhart said he was not given the opportunity. Whether this incident was an oversight where an editor forgot to send over an altered version before publication or something deeper is unclear. However, with mistrust in media rising, including the billionaires who control several of the nation’s most prominent papers, this latest incident could further damage the LA Times reputation and circulation. Additionally, it’s a note of caution for communicators who submit op-eds to push to ensure they have eyes on any edited versions before they reach the public.
• Last year, Applebee’s sold a Date Night Card for $1,500 that offered steep discounts on 52 meals at the chain restaurant. Twelve months later, they’ve parlayed that into an in-depth explanation of the program in the Wall Street Journal, just in time for round two of the deal. The story follows one North Dakota family who purchased the card, detailing their journey through three states in their quest to get their money’s worth. The piece included tips on making the menu more diet friendly and attractive photos of Fiesta Lime Chicken and Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It ends with a tease on the next iteration and praise from the family for the program. A write-up like this is any company’s dream, and in the beloved-by-executives WSJ, no less. Kudos to the Applebee’s PR team (we presume) for extending the life of this product by connecting the Brooks family with the Times and allowing the consumer to tell their own story – and drum up excitement for the next iteration.
• OpenAI is continuing its push into agentic AI – that is, bots that can perform complex, multi-step actions that often take it outside a chat window and onto the broader web – with the release of its new deep research functionality. “ChatGPT will find, analyze, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to create a comprehensive report at the level of a research analyst,” a blog post announcing the new tool says. It was created specifically for areas like science, finance and policy, OpenAI said, that need precise, tailored research. But that could obviously also help out PR pros trying to come up to speed on new practice areas. The responses are fully documented, allowing users to verify information. Currently, the tool is only available for Pro users, though Plus and Teams users should receive the tool in coming weeks. Let us know if you try it out.

Allison Carter is editorial director of PR Daily and Ragan.com. Follow her on LinkedIn.