How Trump’s tariffs hit Asian Americans
Trump’s tariffs are already hitting Asian American wallets — and small businesses may be the first to crack.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue #54
Trump’s tariffs threaten to squeeze Asian American wallets — and small businesses may be the first to crack. The Japanese American National Museum fights back after losing federal funding, Southeast Asian veterans push for overdue recognition in Minnesota, and a meat cleaver attack on four girls shocks NYC’s Chinese community.
Plus: Michelle Yeoh earns a global honor, Marvel eyes a new Asian villain, and Netflix’s “Tangerines” breaks a K-drama record.
How Trump’s new tariffs will affect Asian Americans
President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs could spell economic trouble for Asian American entrepreneurs and consumers, as rising import taxes drive up costs on everything from iPhones to soy sauce.
Small businesses on the edge
Asian American entrepreneurs, who own 11% of small businesses in the U.S. — despite making up just 7% of the population — are particularly vulnerable to Trump’s sweeping tariffs announced on April 2. The new levies include a 10% universal tariff on all imports and reciprocal tariffs as high as 46% on goods from Vietnam, 49% from Cambodia and an unprecedented 104% on China (as of today).
These nations are major suppliers for small retailers and wholesalers that stock Asian grocery stores, electronics shops and clothing boutiques across the U.S. “There’s this immediate price increase that’s going to be passed on to consumers here, basically as soon as the retailers have to buy new product,” Josh Stillwagon, chair of the Economics Division at Babson College, told AP News.
Already tight margins could collapse under the weight of increased import costs, especially for businesses importing goods like soy sauce from China, rice noodles from Thailand or fashion from Vietnam. Danny Huang, whose California grocery store carries imported noodles, sauces and spices, is preparing to bump his prices. “After this week, we might increase the price for those products,” he told Reuters. “[By] how much will depend on the price increase for us.”
Regressive shock to consumers
Asian American consumers — many of whom live in immigrant, working-class households — may soon see grocery bills, electronics and even car repairs climb. This is particularly concerning in ethnic enclaves where imported products dominate and household budgets are already tight.
Clothing, electronics and food are among the hardest hit. Apparel prices could increase by 17%, while cars could see costs rise by $2,500 to $20,000 depending on model and origin. iPhones, still largely produced in China, will likely jump in price due to the cumulative tariffs on Chinese goods — compounded by another 26% on Indian imports, where Apple is shifting some production.
A concerned majority
Despite Trump’s branding of April 2 as “Liberation Day,” more than half of Americans (52%) believe tariffs will hurt the U.S. economy, according to a Pew Research Center survey released on Tuesday. This includes a growing share of Republicans, suggesting bipartisan anxiety over the ripple effects of trade wars.
With mass deportations of Asian migrants to Central American countries, the end of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public institutions and the apparent resurgence of anti-Asian hate, Asian Americans may also view the tariffs not only as bad economics, but as part of a broader discriminatory agenda, especially as they face inflated costs for goods tied directly to their communities and cultures.
Trump escalates China tariffs in spiraling trade war
President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports, escalating an already tense trade war and prompting swift retaliation from Beijing.
The latest
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed yesterday that Trump would raise tariffs on all Chinese imports by a staggering 104% starting today. The move follows China’s refusal to withdraw its own retaliatory 34% tariffs, which were announced last week and are set to take effect Thursday. “Countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers, are making a mistake,” Leavitt told reporters.
Trump initially imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods in February, doubling it in March and adding 34% more on April 2 as part of a “reciprocal” package. On Monday, he warned China that failure to back down would trigger an additional 50% hike — bringing the total average rate to roughly 125%.
Tit-for-tat
China has not backed down. Its Commerce Ministry declared Tuesday that the U.S. action was “a mistake upon a mistake,” vowing to escalate its own measures against American exports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian previously called the tariffs “typical move of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying,” accusing the U.S. of prioritizing its own interests over global trade norms.
Trump, for his part, accused China of ignoring his warnings. “They’ve made enough, for decades, taking advantage of the Good OL’ USA!” he posted on Truth Social Monday, calling China “the biggest abuser” of global trade and boasting the tariffs are “bringing on Billions of Dollars a week” for the U.S.
Global disruption
The tariff war has broader implications. As the U.S.’ second-largest import source, China exported $439 billion in goods to the U.S. last year. As prices rise, experts warn of potential layoffs and disruption to supply chains.
China, however, appears prepared. “The sky won’t fall,” the state-run People’s Daily commented on Monday, calling the situation a chance to “turn crisis into opportunity.” Economic experts in China echoed confidence, with one analyst telling CCTV, “We’re ready to compete with the U.S. in redefining the new global trade system.”
Trump’s tariffs also affect dozens of other countries, including allies like Japan and the EU, prompting fears of a fractured global trade landscape.
Japanese American National Museum fights back after DOGE cuts funding
The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles is contesting the sudden termination of its federal grants following broad funding cuts implemented by the Trump administration.
Driving the news
Museum officials confirmed Friday they received formal notification from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announcing the cancellation of previously approved funding. The April 4 letter cited “a change in the Administration’s funding priorities” as justification for the termination. The funding suspension follows recent activity by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which initiated widespread cuts after visiting NEH headquarters days earlier. Similar reductions are targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS), an agency that distributed $26.4 million to California cultural organizations in the previous fiscal year.
Standing firm
JANM faces potential losses totaling $2 million in federal support, including a $175,000 NEH grant funding educational workshops that have reached teachers from 31 states. While some cultural institutions have removed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) terminology from their materials, Fujioka emphasized JANM would maintain its principles, telling the Los Angeles Times, “Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in.”
The museum is reportedly exploring legal remedies. Fujioka has called for public engagement, urging citizens to contact elected officials in support of cultural institutions. “Our mission is so important for, I believe, America... for all communities,” he told KABC.
Southeast Asian war veterans’ families push for recognition in Minnesota
Descendants of Cambodian, Lao and Vietnamese individuals impacted by the Vietnam War and the “Secret War” in Laos are urging Minnesota lawmakers to provide specific state recognition for their families' contributions and suffering. This push for acknowledgment comes just one month ahead of the 50th anniversary marking the fall of Saigon on April 30.
Fight for recognition: Arguing that their histories have been overlooked in state programs, advocates are now pushing for a legislative proposal that seeks $500,000 from the state's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund for the Minnesota Humanities Center to document and promote the histories of these three specific communities. "These communities have contributed tremendously to this state, yet we are perplexed as to why their stories would be largely unrecognized and absent from official recognition," Bana Soumetho, whose family fled Laos, said in a press conference on March 26. "Now is the time."
Political divide: While the bill has bipartisan sponsors, it faces questions in committee from some Hmong lawmakers, who cited existing funding streams for Southeast Asian groups. Rep. Samantha Vang cautioned against a "false narrative of us versus them," stating, "We actually gave everybody funding." However, bill proponent Rep. Jim Nash highlighted past disparities, noting recent specific appropriations provided negligible or zero funding for Cambodian and Vietnamese groups.
Wartime sacrifices: After the U.S. withdrew from Southeast Asia following the war, those who had allied with American forces faced widespread displacement and persecution. Many sought refuge in the U.S., with Minnesota emerging as a major resettlement hub and now home to approximately 33,000 Vietnamese, 16,000 Lao and 12,000 Cambodians.
Man attacks 4 girls with meat cleaver in NYC home
A 49-year-old man viciously attacked four girls with a meat cleaver in a Bensonhurst, Brooklyn home on Sunday morning before being shot by police officers responding to a desperate 911 call from one of the victims.
A bloody weekend
Longqian Chen allegedly attacked the children at the 84th Street residence at around 10:15 a.m. Despite multiple commands to drop the cleaver, he allegedly lunged at officers, who fired seven rounds, striking him in the head and torso. A bloodied knife was also recovered from another room. The victims, aged 8, 11, 13 and 16, suffered slash and stab wounds, with one child stabbed 10 times in the head and neck and another losing a finger. A 12-year-old boy fled the apartment uninjured to seek help.
Suspect charged
All four girls were rushed to Maimonides Medical Center with serious injuries but are expected to survive. Meanwhile, Chen underwent emergency surgery and was later charged with attempted murder, assault, menacing a police officer, child endangerment, reckless endangerment and weapons possession. In a press conference, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the 11-year-old victim who hid in a room to call 911, noting the incident “could have ended very differently.” Chen is believed to be the father of the 16-year-old victim and uncle to the others.
Community shaken
Residents expressed shock at the violence in their neighborhood. “I didn’t want him to see such a bloody scene, so I took him to my house,” one neighbor who helped the uninjured boy told CBS News in Mandarin. “That’s when police came out with a second girl also covered in blood. It was so horrific and scary.”
City Councilmember Susan Zhuang noted that the tight Asian American community in south Brooklyn has limited access to mental health resources, especially for non-English speakers. “It’s very hard, and they don’t know how to get the resources,” she said, as per The New York Times. Meanwhile, State Assemblyman Lester Chang told the New York Post, “These kids will need a lifetime of support.”
Investigation into the case continues, focusing on Chen’s history of mental illness. Family members reportedly contacted social services last year, expressing fears he might “kill everyone.”
Chinese woman becomes 3rd person globally to receive a pig kidney transplant
A 69-year-old Chinese woman with eight years of kidney failure has become the third person in the world to receive a gene-edited pig kidney. According to reports from Xijing Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University, where the transplant occurred, the patient is recovering well nearly three weeks post-surgery. Lin Wang, a member of the transplant team, confirmed that the kidney is functioning effectively, with ongoing monitoring.
Advancing xenotransplantation: Gene editing plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of hyperacute rejection, a common challenge in xenotransplantation. Scientists have inactivated genes responsible for immune rejection while enhancing the expression of human-compatible proteins to improve graft survival. This breakthrough is part of a broader effort to tackle the severe shortage of human organ donors by using genetically modified pig organs.
Potential impact: Previous pig kidney recipients, including a woman in Alabama and a man in New Hampshire, have shown promising post-surgical progress. Wang and his team are hoping these advancements could offer new hope for thousands of patients worldwide awaiting life-saving transplants.
Hope for the future: While xenotransplantation has entered the clinical research stage, challenges remain, particularly in managing immune responses and the long-term viability of the transplanted organs. Researchers continue to explore the viability of pig liver transplants, with a recent study reporting a pig liver implant in a brain-dead recipient surviving for ten days while producing bile and albumin — key indicators of liver function.
Study reveals how giant pandas came to embrace a vegetarian diet
Giant pandas, while officially classified as carnivores, survive almost entirely on bamboo. A recent study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science reveals that genetic material from bamboo plays a crucial role in helping pandas adapt to this plant-based diet.
The role of bamboo's microRNAs
Researchers from China West Normal University explored the possibility that microRNAs (miRNAs) from bamboo play a crucial role in the panda's dietary adaptation. These miRNAs are small RNA molecules that play a crucial role in regulating gene activity. Notably, plant-derived miRNAs possess remarkable stability, allowing them to withstand the digestive process in mammals and potentially exert their regulatory effects.
"We showed that plant-derived miRNAs are present in the blood of giant pandas," stated Feng Li, the senior author of the study. "Our study proved that bamboo used as food for giant pandas does affect the change of giant pandas’ feeding habits."
Evidence of cross-kingdom gene regulation
The research team analyzed blood samples from seven giant pandas and identified 57 miRNAs that likely originated from the bamboo they consumed. These plant-derived molecules influence gene expression related to sensory perception and metabolic processes.
"MiRNA in bamboo can enter giant pandas’ bodies through diet, be absorbed by the intestine, enter the blood circulation, and then regulate when the giant panda’s RNA transfers information, thus playing a role in regulating the gene expression of giant pandas," explained Li.
Influencing taste, smell and food preference
Further analysis revealed that these bamboo miRNAs influence the panda's senses of taste and smell, as well as their dopamine pathways, all of which are critical for feeding behavior. One specific miRNA was found to enhance sensitivity to bitter tastes, aiding pandas in avoiding potentially toxic bamboo.
Others help them identify the freshest and most nutritious bamboo. Researchers believe that the consumption of bamboo and the absorption of its miRNAs have played a significant role in the giant panda's ability to thrive on a diet consisting almost entirely of this plant.
What’s next
The study also indicated that bamboo miRNAs might play a role in other physiological processes, including reproduction, with different miRNA compositions observed in male and female pandas. While the exact impact on their reproductive capacity remains under investigation, this finding opens new avenues for research.
Emphasizing the challenges of studying this endangered species, Li shared: "The giant panda is a very precious national treasure in our country, and blood samples are not easy to get." The researchers hope to further their investigation by analyzing samples from young pandas that have not yet consumed bamboo, potentially revealing more about this unique dietary adaptation.
Marvel reportedly seeking Asian actor for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”
Marvel Studios is reportedly casting an Asian actor aged 30 to 50 for a major role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” the fourth installment of the Tom Holland-led franchise set for July 2026. Reports say the character could be Martin Li/Mister Negative, a villain from the “Brand New Day” comic era who also featured prominently in “Spider-Man” video games. At the recent CinemaCon, Holland stated via video message, “I know we left you with a massive cliffhanger at the end of ‘No Way Home,’ so ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is a fresh start.” Filming is expected to begin June 2025 under now-confirmed director Destin Daniel Cretton. In the meantime, fans are naming BTS’ Jungkook and South Korean actor Ji Chang Wook as top choices for the role.
“When Life Gives You Tangerines” breaks IMDb record for Korean content
Netflix’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines” has become the highest-rated Korean production on IMDb — currently averaging 9.3 — surpassing previous record-holders “Kingdom” Season 2 and “Move to Heaven,” which are both rated 8.5. The 16-episode drama, starring IU, Moon So-ri, Park Bo-gum and Park Hae-joon, saw its rating climb from 8.7 at its March 7 premiere to 9.3 post-finale, with the final episode peaking at 9.8. Directed by Kim Won-seok (“Misaeng”) and written by Im Sang-choon (“When the Camellia Blooms”), the series blends Jeju Island’s scenic beauty and 1990s nostalgia. “I wanted to break invisible barriers through a story that transcends age and gender,” Kim said of his latest work.
Michelle Yeoh is named one of the world’s leading visionaries
Michelle Yeoh, 62, has been listed among the National Geographic 33 for 2025, a group of global leaders recognized as “visionaries, creators, icons and adventurers” committed to finding “imaginative solutions” for urgent global challenges. The Malaysian-born star’s recognition stems from her decade of disaster recovery work following a life-changing experience during Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake. After narrowly escaping the 7.8 magnitude tragedy that killed nearly 9,000 people, the 2023 Academy Award winner returned multiple times to support recovery efforts with the United Nations Development Programme — where was appointed Goodwill Ambassador in 2016 — and other organizations. “For me, as long as you have hope, you will keep going forward. That’s the most powerful thing,” Yeoh told the magazine.