Host: Cindy Allen

Published: October 3, 2025

Length: ~13 minutes

Presented by: Global Training Center

The Life of a Trade Girl: Shutdowns, Tariffs, and the Struggle of Country of Origin

In this week’s episode, Cindy Allen draws inspiration from Taylor Swift’s brand-new album The Life of a Show Girl—and reimagines it as The Life of a Trade Girl. With new Section 232 tariffs on lumber, cabinets, and vanities, plus looming duties on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, Cindy unpacks why navigating layered tariffs and multiple country-of-origin rules has trade professionals feeling the weight of confusion.

From the ongoing government shutdown to CBP’s enforcement posture and the uncertainty surrounding free trade agreements, this episode highlights both the resilience and the frustration of today’s trade community.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• 
  

  How the current government shutdown is affecting CBP operations and other government agencies

  
  


• 
  

  New Section 232 duties effective October 14 on lumber, kitchen cabinets, and vanities

  
  


• 
  

  The administration’s delayed rollout of 232 duties on pharmaceuticals and medical devices

  
  


• 
  

  The role of exemptions for companies breaking ground on U.S. manufacturing facilities

  
  


• 
  

  Why brand-name vs. generic pharmaceuticals will matter for tariff application

  
  


• 
  

  How Ireland and Switzerland could be most affected by pharmaceutical tariffs

  
  


• 
  

  The growing complexity of country-of-origin determinations across:
  
  • HTS reporting
  
  • Free trade agreement qualification
  
  • Section 232 applicability
  
  • Multi-layered duties on aluminum and steel

  
  


• 
  

  Why brokers and importers are struggling with multiple overlapping tariff annexes

  
  

Key Takeaways:

• 
  

  CBP trade processing is continuing with minimal disruption despite the shutdown, though delays may occur with other government agency inspections.

  
  


• 
  

  Importers face new uncertainty as layered tariffs create multiple, conflicting country-of-origin determinations.

  
  


• 
  

  Pharmaceutical tariffs remain unclear, but exemptions may apply for U.S.-based or expanding manufacturers.

  
  


• 
  

  Ireland and Switzerland are key pharmaceutical exporters likely to be heavily impacted.

  
  


• 
  

  Customs brokers must navigate increasingly complex 232 annexes, requiring spreadsheets and case-by-case analysis.

  
  

Resources & Mentions:

• 
  

  Federal Register – Section 232 Notices

  
  


• 
  

  U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  
  


• 
  

  U.S. Department of the Treasury

  
  


• 
  

  U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  
  


• 
  

  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  
  

Credits

Hosts:

• 
  

  Cindy Allen – LinkedIn

  
  


• 
  

  Trade Force Multiplier

  
  

Producer:

• 
  

  Lalo Solorzano – LinkedIn

  
  

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday.

Presented by: Global Training Center — providing education, consulting, workshops, and compliance resources for trade professionals.

👉 Connect with us:

• 
  

  Simply Trade Podcast on LinkedIn

  
  


• 
  

  Global Training Center on LinkedIn

  
  


• 
  

  YouTube

  
  


• 
  

  Spotify

  
  


• 
  

  Apple Podcasts

  
  


• 
  

  Trade Geeks Community

  
  

Don’t forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!