The percentage of supply chain managers reporting layoffs has doubled since spring of last year, as Trump administration tariffs have strained budgets and slowed business growth.

According to a survey of 220 logistics leaders conducted by CNBC and the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), 32% reported layoffs, up from 16% who reported the same in April of 2025, when President Donald Trump announced his so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs against dozens of nations. Another 65% of respondents said that they had seen at least a 10-15% increase in costs, while 34% saw costs rise by more than 15%.

"Tariffs just don’t hit the balance sheet — they hit the people," said ASCM CEO Abe Eshkenazi. "We’re seeing layoffs because of companies trying to manage their cost structure."

Data from consultancy firm Challenger, Gray & Christma found that U.S. employers announced more than 1.2 million job cuts in 2025, marking a 58% increase over the previous year, and hitting the highest level since 2020, as well as the seventh highest annual total dating back to 1989. Broken out by sector, warehousing companies saw a 317% year-over-year increase in job cuts in 2025, while retail companies saw a 123% rise, and technology firm layoffs bumped up by 15%.

As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether to strike down the majority of Trump's tariffs, business owners told ASCM/CNBC that they would still not be made whole even if those levies were eventually refunded, given that many companies took out high-interest loans to stay afloat in 2025. The larger uncertainty created by the White House's chaotic tariff strategy has stalled supply chain planning in the meantime, as firms are left unable to reliably establish long term staffing and pricing plans.