In Fall River, Massachusetts — a former textile center that voted Republican for the first time in roughly a century in the last presidential election — businesses say President Donald Trump’s import tariffs have delivered higher costs and mixed signals about a promised manufacturing revival.
Small manufacturers and family firms that remain in the city report inquiries from companies seeking U.S.-based production after tariffs were rolled out, but many have turned such work down, citing difficulty hiring amid stricter immigration enforcement and doubts that the demand will last. "It's just not going to happen," said Frank Teixeira, who joined the family business in the 1970s and now co-owns Accurate Services Inc., a Fall River sewing shop that employs about 15 people making hospital-grade neonatal gear.
The tariffs, which the White House has promoted as a tool to reduce the trade deficit and spur domestic investment, apply levies ranging from about 10% to 50% on many imported goods. Economists and industry groups warned that tariffs act like a tax on imports and would raise costs for American manufacturers that rely on foreign materials and supply chains. Those warnings are reflected in recent company statements and regional surveys.
Manufacturing employment nationwide has slowed this year. After a post-pandemic rise, payrolls in manufacturing declined, with firms shedding 12,000 jobs in the most recent month. Business surveys show the sector contracting: a Dallas Federal Reserve survey last month found 71% of manufacturers questioned said the tariffs had already hurt their businesses, raising resource costs and squeezing profits.
High-end bedding maker Matouk, based near Fall River, said tariffs added more than $100,000 a month in costs between April and August by increasing the price of supplies such as cotton fabric imported from India, Portugal and Liechtenstein. George Matouk, whose company employs about 300 people, said the extra expense forced cuts to investments in equipment and marketing and pushed the company toward higher prices that could reduce sales. "Because the materials are subject to tariffs just like everything else, the benefits are not there," he said.
Other small manufacturers report uneven effects. Vanson Leathers, a motorcycle jacket maker founded in 1974, said its costs rose about 15% this year but demand for high-end jackets has held up. Owner Mike van der Sleesen said he supports protections against unfair foreign competition but criticized the current path as "uneven and unfair," noting U.S. exporters can face tariffs abroad even as foreign firms ship to the United States.
Local business owners also described operational constraints beyond tariffs. Accurate Services declined new sewing contracts because the company would struggle to hire enough workers in the current immigration and labor environment. The Teixeiras previously scaled back from a much larger operation in the 1990s and retooled into warehousing and specialty production; they say that institutional knowledge of large-scale manufacturing has eroded, complicating any rapid expansion.
Research on earlier, narrower tariffs imposed during the president's first term found that small job gains in protected industries like steel were often offset by losses at firms dependent on imported parts. Economists caution that while tariffs can shelter some domestic producers, they frequently raise input costs for other manufacturers and consumers, slow growth and invite retaliatory measures from trading partners.
On Fall River streets, opinions among residents who supported the president remain mixed but patient. Tom Teixeira, a 72-year-old retired transit worker who voted for the president in 2016, 2020 and 2024, said he believes manufacturing can return but emphasized it will take time. "I know how it was and it can improve but it's not going to improve overnight," he said, adding he had not yet seen major price increases locally this year.
While the White House points to investments and reshoring announcements as evidence that tariffs and trade pressure are reshaping supply chains, the experience in Fall River underscores challenges that many small U.S. manufacturers face: higher input costs, labor shortages, and uncertainty about whether recent shifts in sourcing represent a durable trend or a short-term response to policy changes.
As the tariffs take hold roughly nine months into the president's term, the gulf between the administration's promises of a manufacturing renaissance and the realities cited by firms and local workers is becoming clearer. Some business owners say they see potential signs of increased domestic activity among suppliers, while others worry that added costs and policy-driven disruptions will slow investment and hiring rather than accelerate them.
The coming months will test whether the temporary shifts and procurement inquiries translate into sustained domestic production and hiring or whether broader economic pressures and higher costs will blunt any potential gains in U.S. manufacturing.