Op-Ed Staff | TX3DNews.com
President Trump’s aggressive new tariff strategy may have been designed to punish China and revive American manufacturing—but here in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District (TX-03), the fallout has been swift, sharp, and far-reaching.
Now, after weeks of market turmoil and rising economic pressure, the White House has announced a 90-day trade truce with China, slashing tariffs on both sides to allow for renewed negotiations. But for local business owners and workers already feeling the squeeze, the question isn’t just what happens over the next 90 days—it’s whether anyone in Washington has a plan for what happens after.
A Truce, Not a Solution
The deal, reached over the weekend in Geneva, reduces U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from as high as 145% to 30%, while China will drop its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports from 125% to 10%. Both governments have framed the agreement as “constructive,” but it’s temporary—and fragile.
Markets welcomed the news: the S&P 500 jumped 3.1% on Monday, and global indices stabilized. But the real damage may already be done.
The Toll in TX-03: Real, Local, and Immediate
From Plano to McKinney to Allen, the impact of April’s tariffs didn’t stay in Washington headlines—it showed up on invoices and price tags. Tech companies just south in Richardson, like Ericsson and Tech Mahindra, rely on imported components to keep North Texas wired. When those costs spiked, projects stalled, hiring slowed, and support contracts across TX-03 got squeezed.
But it’s small businesses that really felt it. In a district where over 160,000 people work for local shops and startups, even a modest price hike on imported goods can tank a quarter’s profits. From Plano-based JCPenney to the family-owned shop on Eldorado, rising costs hit fast—and hard. And even with a temporary trade truce in place, the damage is done. Inventory was bought at inflated prices. Contracts are locked in. And yes, the next time you check out at H-E-B or book a repair, you’ll likely feel it too.
Rep. Keith Self: All In, No Questions
As markets sank and local businesses scrambled to adapt, Congressman Keith Self took a different approach—celebrating the tariffs. On April 2, the day Trump announced the plan, Self tweeted a video calling it “Liberation Day.” No mention of the economic consequences. No concern for the impact on his own district. Just full-throated support for a sweeping policy shift with no clear roadmap.
Since then, Self held a telephone town hall with TX-03 constituents, but tariffs never came up—not from him, and not from his staff. Despite weeks of market turmoil and rising costs for North Texas families, he offered no comment, no plan, and no proposals to support small businesses or shield the district from the economic fallout. No mention of relief, workforce support, or investment in local supply chains.
If there’s a plan to help the people of TX-03 navigate this, it wasn’t shared—not even when he had the microphone.
Trade Politics vs. Local Priorities
The White House insists these tariffs are leverage—and that better deals are coming. But leverage cuts both ways. The EU, Canada, and China have all signaled they may resume retaliatory tariffs if progress stalls. For exporters in Texas, that means more risk, more price volatility, and more lost business.
In theory, tariffs can help rebalance trade. But these weren’t targeted. They were sweeping, sudden, and disruptive—more political messaging than economic strategy.
And in districts like ours, the result hasn’t been “liberation.” It’s been lost sales, delayed investments, hiring freezes, and grocery bills inching higher.
TX-03 Deserves More Than Soundbites
There’s still time to get this right. The 90-day pause offers a chance to regroup and rethink. But that only works if our leaders are willing to stop cheering and start solving.
This is a moment for serious, district-first policymaking. It’s a chance to advocate for supply chain resilience, small business relief, and targeted investment in sectors being squeezed by trade volatility.
What we don’t need are slogans. We need strategy. We need honesty. And we need leadership that understands the difference.
Because make no mistake: someone in TX-03 is going to pay the price if these policies continue unchecked. Whether it’s the tech worker whose project got cut, the retail employee whose hours were slashed, or the parent juggling a higher grocery bill—it won’t be abstract. It’ll be personal.