TikTok's tariff truth-tellers reshape US understanding

On TikTok, a quiet wave of economic commentary is reshaping how young Americans understand US-China relations. In one clip, creator Buddha Wang bluntly tells his American viewers, "It's not China paying for tariffs – it's you."

Another bilingual TikToker, Neil, drives the message even harder: "Americans, you don't need a tariff, you need a revolution," as he exposes the deeper economic wounds facing the country.

These viral videos – short, sharp, and often laced with biting humor – are prompting a re-evaluation of how tariffs work and how Americans experience the consequences.

A YouTube channel, The Humanist Report, recently reacted to clips from Buddha Wang and Neil, highlighting the irony of Americans supporting policies that ultimately hurt their own pocketbooks.

Neil doesn't hold back. "Your government and oligarchs shipped your jobs to China. Not for peace. Not for diplomacy. For profit. And in doing so, they hollowed out your middle class and wrecked your working class," he says. "They told you to be proud while they sold your future."

He supports his case with real-world comparisons: Americans pay more for housing and healthcare than citizens in other developed nations – yet continue to blame China instead of examining domestic policy failures.

This trend reflects a growing space on social media where bilingual, independent creators are bridging gaps in economics and geopolitics. Their sharp delivery – often humorous, always direct – does more than just inform. It dismantles myths.

One viewer commented: "It still amazes me how well Chinese people understand the US, while most Americans know so little about China." Others echoed this, praising Neil and Buddha Wang for giving voice to the frustrations of Americans grappling with systemic issues like wage stagnation and rising costs.

Another user, reacting to the clip after seeing it on Xiaohongshu, wrote: "It shows how hopeless the American people and the American situation is. I've been screaming about this stuff since the 1980s! Nobody listens! What's it going to take, America?! WAKE UP!"

The "rude awakening" videos from Neil and Buddha Wang have been reposted many times on various YouTube and Tiktok channels, amassing millions of views – and counting.

This growing viewership isn't just anecdotal. There are clear signals that these conversations are hitting a nerve – and perhaps even the markets.

Following the announcement of new US tariffs on April 2 – raising duties on some Chinese goods to as high as 145 percent – the economic effects were felt almost immediately. According to the Yale University Budget Lab, the price level rose by 1.3 percent in the short term, translating into an average consumer loss of US$2,100 per household in 2024. For lower-income households, the burden was even heavier, with annual losses reaching US$980 under the new policy alone.

Adding to the pressure, the International Monetary Fund's April 22 World Economic Outlook revised the US 2025 GDP growth forecast down to 1.8 percent – a 0.9 percentage point drop from January's estimate and the largest downgrade among advanced economies. The report cited rising policy uncertainty, weaker demand, and intensifying trade tensions as primary drivers.

These sobering economic indicators only reinforce what these TikTokers have been trying to say: Tariffs aren't some abstract policy – they're an everyday cost.

In the end, this digital chorus of grassroots creators may be doing what US policymakers have failed to – spark an honest reckoning with America's economic reality.