President Trump's tariffs on imported "tinplate steel" for metal cans of fruits and veggies are raising prices for consumers. Del Monte Foods announced it would be closing a fruit cannery in Modesto, California in January 2026. U.S. steel manufacturers have been scaling back tinplate production in recent years, which has forced can makers to source more tinplate from abroad.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of both the Declaration of Independence and Adam Smith’s seminal book, The Wealth of Nations. Karl Smith delivered the 2026 Lev Dobriansky Distinguished Lecture in Political Economy at George Mason University on Tuesday. He was asked to speak on Smith”s influence on U.S. public policy, especially trade and protectionism.

Willis Nelson is a fourth-generation Louisiana farmer. He is concerned about the impact the president's tariffs and war with Iran have had on his family's farm and his concerns about its future. The row crop farmer said rising fuel and fertilizer prices have already done irreversible damage to his farm.

In the post-free trade era, economic nationalism is in vogue. Trade policy is designed to make sure the United States becomes more self-sufficient and to protect leading industries from too much foreign competition. A recent sign of this change is a book by two authors from usually free-trade institutions called How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy, released on May 26.

The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated much of Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. The administration proposes to impose a direct 10% duty on economies that have a complete or partial prohibition on forced labor imports. The proposal also includes a separate textile mechanism. The written comments must be submitted by July 6 with public hearings to be held on July 7. Dow Jones has more exposure to this type of news than many investors realize.