Mark Cuban took a jab at the potential economic fallout from President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policy this week with a sarcastic solution to tariff-driven food shortages: replace fresh produce with processed snacks.
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Snacks Instead of Produce as Tariff Tensions Grow
“Any company that can replace a tariffed product with an American made is going to flourish,” Cuban wrote on Bluesky. “Can't get tomatoes or avocados, Twinkies and Ho-Hos are made in US bakeries and are the perfect replacement!!! Pay no attention to the price increase. They never go bad!”
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Cuban's post came as retailers warn of growing disruptions tied to Trump's 145% tariff on most Chinese imports, which has already caused a sharp drop in incoming shipments. Freight vessel arrivals at the Port of Los Angeles are on track to be down 35% year-over-year for the week ending May 10, according to Port Optimizer.
That supply squeeze could leave store shelves empty in the coming months, with shortages expected for everyday goods like apparel, toys, low-cost footwear, and some food products, including apple juice and fish.
Retailers are also struggling to price products amid the uncertainty. "They're making their holiday buying decisions now," Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy for the National Retail Federation, told NBC News in late April. "It's a challenge for folks to figure out how to properly order and price with all the uncertainty that's out there on the tariffs.”
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Small businesses, in particular, are feeling the pinch. Jessica Berger, founder of the pet company Bundle x Joy, said her latest shipment from China came with a $180,000 tariff bill. “Luckily for me, I have the resources, but six months ago, I wouldn't have. It would potentially have put me out of business,” she told NBC News.
Cuban also warned on X that the broader impact of these policies will hit hardest in smaller communities.
“Recessions don't hit all parts of the country equally. IMO, small cities, towns and states will get hit the worst. And it won't be pretty,” he wrote on Sunday.
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He explained that smaller areas rely more on federal spending and are more expensive to reach, making them especially vulnerable to tariff-driven price hikes and shipping cuts. "They will see fabrics of their communities cut. The local museum. The local health clinic. And so much more cut."
Cuban added that these struggles won't show up in national GDP figures. “They will play out in the small town newspapers (that are left) across the country.”
Trump has said he’s considering reducing tariffs after meeting with major retailers in April, though no formal steps have been taken. Experts warn that even if tariffs are rolled back soon, the damage to supply chains may take months to undo.
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