"The Hidden Cost of Washington's Tariff Whiplash"

The following excerpt is from "The Hidden Cost of Washington's Tariff Whiplash" on The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Intelligence Desk Substack and was written by S4GEO Advisory Board member, Scott Siler.

"A tariff is a cost. Uncertainty is something else entirely.

Since President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs in April 2025, companies have scrambled to reprice products, renegotiate contracts, and reroute orders. It’s expensive, but it’s manageable. Businesses know how to deal with higher costs. The bigger struggle is: Will these same costs even exist next quarter?

Consider a company deciding whether to shift production out of China, sign a long-term supply contract, or build a new factory. A 10% tariff might justify the investment. But what if that tariff disappears next month? Or doubles? Or gets struck down by a court?

The problem isn’t simply what tariffs cost today. It’s the business decisions that cannot be made because it’s incredibly difficult to know what they’ll cost tomorrow. And that uncertainty comes with a considerable price tag..."