https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/31/were-trapped-trumps-tariffs-lock-us-businesses-in-china-00535666

President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail that his trade policies would trigger an “exodus” of manufacturing from China back to the U.S. But so far, many American companies that operate there are staying put.

That’s the least risky option, half a dozen business leaders and business groups said in interviews, pointing to Trump’s blanket tariff increases — on not just Beijing but most of the world’s other manufacturing powerhouses — and uncertainty about the president’s future trade moves.

It’s echoed in a survey by the U.S.-China Business Council, released in July. The group found that while the number of companies reconsidering their investment strategy has ticked up, roughly two-thirds of U.S. companies operating in China intend to maintain their planned investments in the country.

“Simply put, we’re trapped,” said Judd King, the founder of Starlux Games, a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in glow-in-the-dark outdoor games, which require LED components that are manufactured in China. “There’s no ‘wait and see’ anymore. It’s just we have to pay [the duties]. So that’s one part of the trap. Another part is, how much is the consumer willing to tolerate pricing increases.”