'Painful': Tailor hired by top MAGA figures blames Trump tariffs for price hikes
A favorite tailor of Make America Great Again (MAGA) loyalists including GOP lawmakers is now feeling the sting of President Donald Trump’s controversial trade policies, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
Nathaniel Rios, a Mississippi evangelical pastor-turned-tailor known for crafting bold, form-fitting suits for the right-wing elite in Washington, described the impact the Trump administration's policies has had on his business.
According to the tailor, he’s had to hike his prices by nearly 70 percent because of tariffs imposed under Trump.
Rios has his suits manufactured in China, Thailand, and Vietnam — locations that had allowed him to keep prices near $300 until recently.
Those same countries were hit particularly hard by Trump’s tariff hikes in April, which meant Rios had to raise his suit prices to over $500 — a roughly 66 percent increase.
China faced a tariff as steep as 145 percent, though the rate was reduced to 30 percent last week.
According to the report, the price jump hasn’t gone unnoticed by customers, and some have voiced frustration.
"It’s been a little painful," Rios told the Journal.
Rios’ client list reads like a who’s who of the MAGA movement, according to the report. The customers reportedly include Republican lawmakers, die-hard Trump supporters, and at least one Trump aide.
The report also noted that some clients go so far as to request personalized suit linings showcasing striking images of Trump, including his mug shot or the recent assassination attempt.
Trump aide Justin Caporale owns a suit designed by Rios featuring the slogan "America First" stitched above the pocket and a dramatic interior print of Washington Crossing the Delaware. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) wears a Rios suit lined with a photo of himself, while Raheem Kassam, co-owner of the MAGA-friendly D.C. restaurant Butterworth’s, sports one with a red, white, and blue “MAGA” lining decorated with multiple images of Trump.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), known for advocating to rename D.C.'s rail system after Trump, has a suit lined with the Florida state flag, per the report.