Castaway Clothing

Dear President Trump, @realDonaldTrump I am the founder of a clothing brand called CUTS. We are a bootstrapped business that has been around for eight years and are a true example of living the American dream. We’ve built this business to millions of dollars in revenue over the last eight years, had a tremendous amount of success, provided jobs to hundreds of people, and I believe I am an example of the prosperity possible in America. I voted for you in 2016, 2020, and 2024 because I believed in your vision for the country—and I still do. However, the recent tariff changes are happening too quickly. Removing 321 de minimis at the same time as increasing tariffs on China from 25% to 145% will be the death of thousands of eCommerce companies just like @cutsclothing . These are businesses that bootstrapped their way to success, created American jobs, and are now enjoying the fruits of their hard work in this country. I understand and support the goal of putting America first—we are fully aligned with that mission. But the way these changes have been handled creates tremendous uncertainty for brands like ours. By placing tariffs on Vietnam and other countries, and then changing them so quickly, we are left unsure of what to do. More importantly, we need time to adjust to new legislation. Regarding 321 de minimis, we were proud to use that exemption. In 2016, you mentioned using a “Hillary Clinton loophole” to lower taxes—and I respected that. That’s what a smart businessman does. Similarly, we used de minimis as a way to compete in a global market. Removing that, combined with the sudden implementation of heavy tariffs, would make our current margin structure unsustainable. My goal in writing this is not to oppose you, but to stand with you in your mission of making America great again. We want to protect American jobs and help bring manufacturing back. CUTS is ready to help lead that charge—but it cannot happen overnight. My request is that both the removal of 321 and the China tariff increases be delayed with enough time for U.S. companies to react—which, for production businesses, is at least 9 to 12 months. That time would allow us—and companies like us—to adjust, set up new manufacturing, and even pursue U.S. production that aligns with your vision. I humbly ask that you take this seriously. Every day this continues, more businesses will fail. Solving one issue but hurting the very people who voted for you is not the best outcome. Mr. President, we believe in you, and we know there are things you see that we cannot. I hope you take this into consideration—so together, we can make America great again. Respectfully, Steven Founder & CEO, CUTS Clothing