President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs are critically testing the manufacturing revival hopes in Fall River, Massachusetts, a former textile manufacturing hub, as local businesses contend with heightened costs and mixed signals about future demand. The policy, central to Trump’s campaign promise of an economic renaissance, is instead creating challenges for manufacturers dependent on imported supplies, revealing a gap between rhetoric and reality.
In a cavernous 1890s factory, the Teixeira family’s Accurate Services maintains a small team of 15 workers producing hospital-grade neonatal gear, a remnant of a larger operation mostly shut down in 1990. Since the tariffs began, they have received increased inquiries for domestic sewing services but have turned them down due to hiring difficulties amid immigration crackdowns and skepticism about sustained demand. Frank Teixeira, a veteran of the industry, asserts that tariffs are a detrimental policy that will ultimately harm the economy, reflecting widespread caution among business owners.
Nearby, Matouk, a high-end bedding manufacturer, has faced over $100,000 in additional monthly costs from tariffs on materials like cotton fabric from India and Portugal. George Matouk, the third-generation owner, has been forced to cut investments in new equipment and marketing, anticipating no benefits as higher costs lead to price increases that may reduce sales. He expressed frustration, feeling penalized despite years of commitment to U.S. manufacturing, which employs about 300 people.
Employment growth in U.S. manufacturing has slowed precipitously this year, with payrolls shrinking by 12,000 jobs in August alone, and business surveys indicate the sector is in contraction. A Federal Reserve Dallas branch survey found that 71% of manufacturers report negative impacts from the tariffs, which range from 10% to 50% on most imports, raising resource costs and hurting profits.
At Vanson Leathers, a motorcycle jacket maker, owner Mike van der Sleesen has seen costs rise by 15% but shares the president’s concerns about uneven trade practices, where foreign companies access U.S. markets easily while U.S. firms face barriers abroad. While demand for his expensive jackets has held up, and domestic suppliers report an uptick in activity—including overtime not seen in decades—he remains uncertain about the long-term outcomes due to the policy’s disruptive nature. His workforce has shrunk from over 160 in 2000 to about 50, affected by global competition.
On the streets of Fall River, many Trump supporters, such as retired transit worker Tom Teixeira (no relation to the manufacturers), express patience and willingness to give the president time for his strategy to work. They emphasize the importance of domestic manufacturing but acknowledge that improvements will not happen overnight, with some yet to notice major price increases. This local perspective underscores the complex interplay of hope and hardship in communities directly impacted by tariff policies.
The situation in Fall River illustrates the broader challenges of Trump’s tariff approach, which experts warned could raise prices and slow growth. As the effects unfold over nine months, the divide between promised investment and on-the-ground realities highlights the need for careful assessment of economic policies aimed at revitalizing American industry.