March 11, 2025
By Gary A. Johnson – Publisher/Founder, Black Men In America.com

As I write this, President Tariff and Chief has ordered his administration to impose an additional 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum imports, raising the total duties to 50%.

This new policy, set to take effect Wednesday morning, was announced in a Truth Social post where Trump also reiterated his call for Canada to become the “Fifty-First State.” Give me a break. This is yet another deliberate act of economic chaos from his administration.

MAGA Buyers’ Remorse

Across social media, more MAGA supporters are voicing regret about voting for this twice-impeached, convicted felon, and conman. What did they expect?

Many believed his policies would only hurt Black and Brown communities—but now they’re realizing he despises poor people too. Today, Trump announced plans to buy a Tesla to support Elon Musk. Has anyone ever seen him drive anything other than his fat ass on a golf cart?

According to leading economists, low-income households—who spend a greater share of their budgets on essential goods—will be hit hardest by these tariffs. Imported products, which tend to be cheaper, will now cost more.

Market Turmoil: $1.39 Trillion in Losses 

The fallout from Trump’s economic policies is already evident. Since January 17, the last trading day before the inauguration, companies tied to the administration have lost a staggering $1.39 trillion in market value.

While researching this article, I stumbled on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. (I hadn’t heard of this index before—probably because I’m nowhere close to being a billionaire—but now that I know about it, I’ll be checking it regularly). For those unfamiliar, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index is a daily ranking of the world’s richest individuals. Net worth calculations are updated at the close of every trading day in New York.  After reading this list, I came away with the staggering reality, that there is rich and then there is RICH!  But I digress.

The Economic Boycott: Is It Working? 

Since February 28, a nationwide, citizen-led economic boycott has taken aim at corporations that back Trump’s administration and have abandoned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. According to multiple reputable economic tracking sources, the impact has been significant and measurable.

According to People’s World, a nationwide network of volunteer writers which provides news and analysis of, by, and for the labor and democratic movements from the perspectives of those who are experiencing them, the February “Economic Blackout,” had a measurable and significant impact on the profits of some of the leading corporate backers of the Trump administration and backsliders on DEI policies.

The Corporate DEI Reversal 

Many of these retailers, in an effort to align themselves with the Trump administration’s new right-wing white supremacist agenda, rolled back and/or dismantled their DEI policies, revoked funding, ended cultural celebrations such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Hispanic History Month, ended LGBTQ Pride initiatives, all in a desperate attempt to ingratiate themselves with the new President.

Retailers Feeling the Boycott’s Impact: 

Walmart and Target, once self-proclaimed champions of diversity, abruptly dismantled their DEI programs. In fact, they have gone so far as to erase DEI references from their annual reports.

But the boycott is hitting where it hurts: their bottom line.

Key Data from the Boycott’s First Phase (Feb. 28, 2025):

• Walmart: Web traffic down 6.5%; app usage down 2.5%
• Amazon: Web traffic down 4.6%
• Target:
  • Web traffic is down 10.9% (compared to the previous Friday)
  • In-store foot traffic is down 10.7%
  • Leadership admitted to shareholders that February sales were “soft”

Meanwhile, Costco—one of the few major retailers to stand by DEI efforts—saw its web traffic jump 8.3% on Feb. 28, suggesting that many consumers deliberately chose to spend their money elsewhere.

What’s Next? Upcoming Boycotts 

The next phase of the economic boycott will target individual companies:

• Amazon: March 7-14
• Nestlé: March 21-28
• Walmart: April 7-14
• Nationwide Economic Blackout #2: April 18
  

Billionaires Who Bought Access to Trump—Now Paying the Price

Trump’s inner circle of billionaire allies saw an opportunity: they knew Trump had no real economic expertise, but they banked on his skills as a conman. Now, their fortunes are plummeting:

• Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX) – Down $148 billion
• Jeff Bezos (Amazon/Washington Post) – Down $29 billion
• Sergey Brin (Google) – Down $22 billion
• Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/Facebook) – Down $5 billion
• Bernard Arnault (Louis Vuitton/Bulgari) – Down $5 billion
  

DEI: The Real Impact 

Trump and his Project 2025 allies have successfully redefined DEI in the public eye. They portray it as a tool for “lowering standards,” when in reality, DEI has always been good for business. Ironically, the very people dismantling DEI in corporate America are some of the least qualified individuals in their positions. 

Final Thoughts 

The economic boycott is working. The billionaire class is bleeding money. And the truth about Trump’s economic policies is becoming clearer every day.  

The question now is: Will the momentum continue? Feel free to leave your comments in the section below.

Gary Johnson is the Founder and Publisher of several online platforms, including BlackMenInAmerica.com, BlackBoatingandYachting.com, and others. He is also the author of 25 Things That Really Matter in Life: A Quick and Comprehensive Guide to Making Your Life Better—Today! and a contributing author to three books on fatherhood.

In 2021, he launched Calculations Talk Show, a motivational website and interview-based talk show. In 2022, Gary became a strategist for the Justice for Black Farmers movement, creating a website and podcast to support Black farmers. That same year, he also launched The Thought Brothers, a website and podcast offering multi-generational perspectives on current news and information, featuring three co-hosts. In 2024, he launched Gary’s Weight Loss Journey, a motivational website chronicling his ongoing struggle with weight loss to inspire others to stay motivated on their own journeys. For more information about Gary’s passions and ventures, visit his official website at Gary Johnson Media.