MrBeast speaks out

YouTuber MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, has spoken out about the impact of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on his chocolate brand, Feastables. Launched in 2022, the brand has been a success, but Donaldson revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the recent tariffs have made it significantly cheaper to produce chocolate outside the U.S. due to over 20% tariffs on their cost of goods domestically. He emphasized that despite already paying more for ethically sourced, fair trade cocoa, the added costs from tariffs have been tough to absorb. MrBeast expressed concern for small businesses, saying these changes could be devastating for them.

Trump announced on April 2 that new tariffs will be placed on imports from various countries, including a 34% tariff on Chinese goods starting April 9. In response, China plans to impose a matching 34% tariff on U.S. products. Trump, displeased with the retaliation, threatened an additional 50% tariff on China if it doesn’t reverse its decision by April 8. In turn, China’s commerce ministry accused the U.S. of “blackmail” and promised to resist. With the deadline approaching, tensions remain high, and it’s unclear whether the U.S. will escalate the trade conflict further.