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‘I never thought he would tariff MY imports’: America is learning how tariffs work in real-time, and these 25 memes say it all

President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs are due to take effect this week, and as people are beginning to realize what they mean regarding the price of consumer goods, the internet is creating memes about it.

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What is a tariff?

A tariff is essentially a tax on imported goods, which means when Trump put tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, those costs didn’t go to the country importing the products but rather got passed right back onto American consumers. As Canada and Mexico roll out retaliatory tariffs, the internet is roasting Trump supporters now realizing that economic nationalism comes with a price tag.

Canada and Mexico respond to U.S. tariffs with ones of their own

Just one day after Trump’s latest round of tariffs—25% on Canadian and Mexican goods (with a minor exception for Canadian energy exports) and 10% on Chinese imports—Canada retaliated with its own 25% tariffs on over $100 billion worth of U.S. products, according to the New York Times. Mexico is expected to release its counter-tariffs on Feb. 2, 2025, as well. Meanwhile, China has taken a more bureaucratic approach, threatening to take the matter to the World Trade Organization.

This means American businesses, particularly farmers and manufacturers who rely on exports, are about to feel the heat. Trump himself admitted these tariffs could cause "some pain," but it seems that MAGA folks didn’t realize that pain was going to be felt by them.

The internet has once again done what it does best: make memes poking fun at those who believed tariffs would make their groceries cheaper. 

Check out 25 of the best and funniest tariff memes below.

1.

Tariff meme, text reads, "F*ck aboot and find oot" with a Canadian goose on a yellow background in the style of the Texas flag.

2.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Silence, macro economists, a mattress salesman is talking."

3.

Tariff meme with an angry-looking person with an American flag over top and a nerdy looking one with the Canadian flag, text reads, "I F8CKING HATE YOU AND HOPE YOU DIE" and "I'm literally the best neighbor one could possibly hope for. I just want to be friends and trade stuff."

4.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Who are these little boys? And why are they in charge of our money?" with details and photos about each of four young men who look like they are freshmen in college.

5.

Tariff meme, text reads, "This meme came to me in a dream."

6.

Tariffs meme.

7.

Tariff meme, text reads, "The cashier at Costco selling me a 1L jug of Canadian maple syrup for $250" with a business man with his fingers laced saying, "We are selling to willing buyers at the current fair market price."

8.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Donald Trump when the tariffs hit" with the man shooting a person meme. "The U.S. economy / Donald Trump / Why would Joe Biden do this to us."

9.

Tariff meme of a pixelated Kermit the Frog with his arm around Justin Trudeau, text reads, "Ima keep it real with u PM Trudeau, FIRE WHEN READY."

10.

Tariff meme, text reads, "'Buy Canadian Instead' signs going up in BC Liquor stores" with a photo of the store.

11.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Canadians right now" with a man on the street being interviewed saying, "I dream of a great war of justice that will turn the American soil to ashes."

12.

Tariff meme, text reads, "My entire timeline right now" with a screencap of Norman Osborn saying, "You know, I'm something of a Tariffs expert myself."

13.

Tariff meme, text reads, "How long before Trump surrenders on his tariffs and declares victory?"

14.

Tariff meme, text reads, "MAGA: we don’t even import nothin from Canada! Me: …the f*ck are we putting tariffs on then?"

15.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Of course that’s your contention. You’re a first time tariff poster. You just got finished reading how tariffs create positive-sum outcomes, Pompliano’s tweets, probably. You’re gonna be convinced of that until you learn how the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act fueled German and Japanese expansionism and political destabilization in the 1930’s" with a photo of young Matt Damon.

16.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Hope people soon understand that there is no 'reason' for these tariffs."

17.

18.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Wall Street analysis on tariffs:" with the guy putting on clown makeup meme.

19.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Canada is considering 100% tariffs on Teslas." with the "Do it." meme.

20.

Tariff meme, text reads, "I’m sure deporting people who produce food and slapping tariffs on countries that we buy massive amounts of food from will lower costs any day now."

21.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Trump: 'Big tariffs coming!' J.P. Morgan: 'We don't think he'll do it.' Trump: 'I AM TOTALLY GOING TO DO BIG TARIFFS!' J.P. Morgan: 'We don't think he will.' Trump: 'OK, here are the big tariffs I promised. BOOM!' J.P. Morgan: 'Wow, nobody could have foreseen this.'"

22.

Tariff meme, text reads, "Tariffs, you say? with a screenshot of a sports movie with text that says, "That's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for him."

23.

Tariff meme, text reads, "The tariffs mean a cool new job opportunity is opening up for the daring: smuggling!"

24.

25.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

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