President Trump’s tough stance on trade has been a win for American workers. He has protected jobs, revived key industries, and taken on countries like China that have long abused and exploited our markets. His leadership exposed the weakness of past trade deals and brought accountability back to the negotiating table despite constant attacks from the establishment media and career bureaucrats defending a failed status quo.
But toughness must be paired with precision.
As the administration reviews tariffs and trade, it is crucial to avoid punishing American businesses and families for products we simply cannot grow or produce at home. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has rightly called out hundreds of agricultural commodities and products—like coffee, tea, and bananas—as “unavailable natural resources.” As the owner of TeBella Tea Company recently explained, because tea cannot be grown in the U.S. in sufficient commercial quantities, they must import it from 14 countries—all currently subject to tariffs.
Secretary Lutnick has wisely testified to Congress that for many of these products, “there will not be a tariff.” That distinction is vital. The 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs gives the administration time to separate tariffs that promote domestic production from those that simply raise costs for American businesses and families.
Spices offer a prime example. Crops like black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and vanilla simply don’t grow in American soil. Black pepper needs tropical humidity. Vanilla orchids require hand pollination and narrow temperature ranges. Cinnamon trees can’t survive our winters. This is agricultural reality; not economic or political theory.
Last year, the U.S. imported more than $2 billion worth of spices. These aren’t luxury items. They’re staples in nearly every American cupboard or kitchen. They season weekday meals, backyard barbecues, and holiday pies. In my hometown of Cincinnati, cinnamon is a key ingredient in our famous chili. This is comfort food and a working-class tradition. Tariffs on these essential ingredients would raise food prices for families already stretched thin.
And the impact wouldn’t stop at the spice rack. Sauces, snacks, frozen meals, and meat rubs would also become more expensive. Consumers would pay more, and so would our schools, hospitals, and food manufacturers. This isn’t hypothetical; it’s how the supply chain works.
Restaurants, most of which are small businesses, would be hit particularly hard. Many serve cuisines that depend on imported spices. These aren’t boutique bistros. They’re neighborhood staples, often family-run and minority-owned. From taco joints to Indian diners, these entrepreneurs are creating jobs, not asking for handouts. Tariffs on essential ingredients don’t just tax food, they tax the American Dream.
There’s also a public health cost. Spices are not just about taste. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar. Turmeric reduces inflammation. Ginger aids digestion. These affordable ingredients help families eat healthier, aligning with President Trump’s vision to “Make America Healthy Again.” Taxing the very tools that promote better health undermines that goal.
To his credit, President Trump has shown how to be both smart and strong. His administration’s Section 301 tariff exclusion process gave businesses relief when products couldn’t be sourced domestically. It worked. Earlier this year, the administration paused new tariffs on cinnamon and vanilla after listening to industry experts, an example of leadership rooted in results, not rhetoric.
Too often, Washington talks tough on trade but never feels the consequences. They measure success on paper. American families and small businesses measure it at the checkout counter. President Trump understands that real strength comes from staying connected to the real people. He listens when business owners say, “We can’t absorb this,” or farmers say, “We can’t grow this,” and when families say, “We can’t afford this.”
As Secretary Lutnick has made clear, this is an opportunity to show that conservative leadership can be bold and grounded. We can stand firm against unfair trade practices while protecting those who cook, shop, and serve across America. That’s not backing down, it’s leading with conviction and wisdom.
If a product can’t be grown here, it shouldn’t be taxed as if it could. That’s not protectionism; it’s common sense. Trade policy should never become a burden on the very people it aims to protect. Let’s keep the pressure on foreign governments, not on American consumers and small businesses. We can stand tough on trade without taxing the cinnamon in our Cincinnati chili.
Ken Blackwell is an adviser to the Family Research Council, a member of the board of directors of the Club for Growth and President of the Council for National Policy.
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