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Tariff Costs Put New Pressure on U.S. Corporate Profits

Rising tariff expenses are beginning to weigh heavily on U.S. companies, prompting executives across multiple industries to warn that profit margins may tighten in the months ahead. Many firms had initially suggested they could manage the added costs through efficiency improvements or selective price increases, but that confidence is fading as import-related expenses continue to climb. Companies that rely on global supply chains are feeling the strain most acutely. Higher costs on imported materials and components are forcing difficult decisions: pass the increases on to consumers, risking weaker demand, or absorb the costs internally, which directly erodes profitability. For many businesses, neither option is attractive. Consumer-facing brands are finding it especially challenging to raise prices further, as shoppers show growing sensitivity to even modest increases. This resistance limits the ability of firms to offset tariff-driven expenses, creating a squeeze that is beginning t...
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U.S. Aid Agency to Trim Workforce to Under 300 Amid Radical Overhaul

 

In a dramatic shakeup that has rattled the international development community, the Trump administration announced sweeping plans to reduce the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) workforce from over 10,000 employees to fewer than 300. Most staff members—including thousands stationed overseas—have been placed on administrative leave, with only a small core of personnel retained to manage essential, mission-critical programs.

The controversial downsizing is being driven by a broader effort led by President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut what they describe as wasteful spending on foreign aid. According to officials, the remaining team will focus solely on high-priority functions such as health, humanitarian assistance, and global crisis response.

The move has already sparked legal challenges. Federal workers’ unions, including the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees, have filed lawsuits claiming that the abrupt curtailment of USAID violates congressional mandates and could precipitate a global humanitarian crisis by halting critical aid programs in more than 130 countries.

Critics warn that dismantling a cornerstone of U.S. foreign assistance may not only disrupt lifesaving projects—from HIV/AIDS treatment to emergency disaster relief—but also diminish America’s soft power on the global stage. As the administration contemplates merging USAID’s remaining operations with the State Department under acting administrator Marco Rubio, questions abound over the long-term implications for U.S. influence and international development efforts.

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