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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — President Donald Trump’s plans to implement steep tariffs have sent shockwaves through several industries, and one of the Tri-Cities’ biggest employers is paying close attention to the situation.
On Monday, President Trump paused 25% tariffs on imports from both Mexico and Canada for at least a month after conferring with their leaders. Both countries pledged to strengthen border security if the pause was put in place.
While imports from Mexico and Canada are not yet affected, products from China will have a 10% tariff imposed. In response, China announced its own retaliatory tariffs on the United States would go into effect on Feb. 10.
News Channel 11 reached out to Eastman Chemical Company on Monday, asking if the company imports products from any of those three countries and how it plans to adapt to any potential changes in costs.
An Eastman spokesperson provided a statement in response but did not clarify if the company does import products from the countries in question.
“Eastman is closely monitoring the evolving situation to assess the impact tariffs could have on our products and businesses,” Eastman Corporate Communications Manager Tracy Kilgore Addington said. “Our commitment is to address potential issues to ensure the best outcomes for Eastman and our stakeholders.”
Trump signed the order imposing the tariffs on Saturday, and the tariff on Chinese imports went into effect on Tuesday.