Tariffs are a tax. Are you already paying it?

It's been over three months since President Trump announced very big across-the-board tariffs on imports from nearly every territory on Earth–including uninhabited islands. It's a move he said would revitalize the U.S. economy.<br /><br />Since that splashy White House announcement, the tariff rates have been a wildly moving target. Ratcheted up - then back down - on China, specifically.<br /><br />Overlaid with global product-specific tariffs on categories like automobiles and copper. Partially paused after the stock market tanked.<br /><br />Through it all, the tariff rate has remained at or well-above 10 percent on nearly every good imported to the U.S. <br /><br />And if you've listened to NPR's reporting since April, you'll have heard many voices make one particular prediction over and over again – that American consumers will pay the price.<br /><br />If American consumers are going to pay for the tariffs, the question is: when ? <br /><br />For sponsor-free episodes of <em>Consider This,</em> sign up for C<em>onsider This+</em> via Apple Podcasts or at <a href="http://plus.npr.org">plus.npr.org</a>.<br /><br />Email us at <a href="mailto:considerthis@npr.org">considerthis@npr.org</a>.