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Tariff Talks Threaten Cotton Prices and Consumer Choices

10/22/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Ongoing tariff negotiations under U.S. President Donald Trump could raise prices for American consumers and reduce U.S. cotton exports to China.
Pietra Riboli, Georgetown University professor, describes in The Travel of the T-Shirt how government-subsidized U.S. cotton is exported to China for T-shirt production and then sold back to American consumers.
Tariffs would cause higher costs and fewer choices for U.S. consumers.

History

Historical Context

China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 11, 2001, marked a pivotal moment in U.S.-China trade relations, leading to a 300% surge in U.S. cotton exports to China. However, ongoing tariff negotiations threaten to reverse these gains, potentially reshaping trade dynamics and impacting both economies significantly, as seen in the rising U.S. trade deficit with China, which reached $375.6 billion in 2017.

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Story summary

Ongoing tariff negotiations under U.S. President Donald Trump could raise prices for American consumers and reduce U.S. cotton exports to China.
Pietra Riboli, Georgetown University professor, describes in The Travel of the T-Shirt how government-subsidized U.S. cotton is exported to China for T-shirt production and then sold back to American consumers.
Tariffs would cause higher costs and fewer choices for U.S. consumers.

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