Trump’s Tariffs Silence Lesotho’s Garment Industry—A Costly Blow to Global Trade and American Workers Alike

In the heart of Lesotho, a tiny African nation often overlooked on the world stage, the hum of sewing machines has fallen ominously silent. The Tzicc clothing factory, once bustling with 1,300 workers producing apparel for major U.S. retailers like JCPenney and Walmart, now stands dark and empty. This sudden collapse isn’t due to local mismanagement or economic failure but directly linked to sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. When Washington slapped a staggering 50% tariff on nearly all imports from Lesotho earlier this year—a rate even higher than that applied to global economic giants like China—it was...