MrBeast reveals shocking result of trade war | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

With the United States’ recent tariffs causing economic chaos and sending consumers into a panic, it seems that almost everyone is feeling the impact of the trade war.

Hoping to restore a bygone era, President Donald Trump has framed the tariffs as a necessary tactic for convincing companies to shift manufacturing operations to the U.S.. But many economic experts have weighed in, breaking down why these plans may be misguided.

💵💰Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter 💰💵

One source who might seem unlikely to offer insights on the trade war is Jimmy Donaldson (better known as MrBeast), a YouTube entertainer renowned for outlandish stunts. But he recently shared a take of his own, laying out a surprising consequence of the trade war.

Offering the perspective not of a content creator but of a business owner, Donaldson revealed something that contradicts Trump’s tariff claims.

Jimmy Donaldson, known on YouTube as MrBeast, has a startling take on the trade war.

Image source&colon; Christopher Polk/WWD via Getty Images

MrBeast raises concern regarding the impact of tariffs

Donaldson has been in focus since he started discussing plans to acquire TikTok earlier this year. He joined a group of aspiring buyers that included Jesse Tinsley, the founder of Employer.com. While they seem likely to be outbid, Donaldson clearly has other things on his mind now.

Though widely recognized for his YouTube content and video series, Donaldson has managed to turn the MrBeast name into a successful media brand that includes Feastables. This popular brand produces chocolate products and other snacks. And like many other companies, Feastables is facing a complicated future as tariffs push prices up.

On April 8, Donaldson posted to X that all the new tariffs were going to impact operations for Feastables, to the point that it would make more financial sense to not produce them in the U.S. and to shift operations to countries with a lower COGS (cost of goods sold).

“We pay our farmers a living income, use fair trade certified beans, etc., so I was already spending a lot on cocoa. A random price hike was pretty brutal,” Donaldson added in a follow-up to the post. While he admitted that his company would be okay, he noted that he felt concern for small business owners who might be more negatively affected by the tariffs.

Ironically because of all the new tariffs it is now way cheaper to make our chocolate bars we sell globally NOT in America because other countries don’t have a 20%+ tariff on our cogs 😅

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) April 8, 2025

According to Feastables’ webpage, the company’s chocolates are produced in both the U.S. and Peru. While not all of his operations are in America, Donaldson has made it clear that he is considering shifting operations elsewhere in an attempt to save money.

Donaldson’s statements on the tariffs are a stark contrast to Trump’s claims that the tariffs will lead to more manufacturing in the U.S. and create more jobs.

The President likely didn’t expect to have a YouTube content creator reveal a major problem with his tariff plan, but many social media users seem to see the logic in Donaldson’s argument.

More news

“Trump has said part of the justification for the tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. (which is an exporter of chocolate and cocoa products),” Business Insider reports. “But Donaldson’s comments show that tariffs on certain parts of a product — in this case, cocoa and other ingredients — could drive some businesses that sell across the world to actually move their operations outside the U.S.”

MrBeast likes games, but not when it comes to his business

As an entertainer, Donaldson is known for the fun-loving and outlandish personality reflected in his content. But despite the informal tone of his statements, he’s likely extremely serious regarding tariffs.

The reason is that Feastables is a huge revenue driver for Beast Industries, Donaldson’s company. According to Business Insider, it “drove roughly half of the company’s revenue in 2024, to the tune of $215 million,” making it considerably more profitable than the media leg of his business.

Other companies seem to be taking on a similar mindset to Donaldson’s, though they are not all in the confectionery space. As TheStreet’s Patricia Battle reports, Apple is planning to increase the number of iPhones it brings to the U.S. from India as a means of dodging some of the costs of Trump’s tariffs.

That said, the owner of iconic New York City candy confectionery emporium Economy Candy recently stated that he believes the tariffs will negatively impact his entire inventory, which includes rare sweets from across the globe.

Donaldson hasn’t offered any insight as to possible new locations for Feastables’ production. But given the importance of the company to his business empire, he will likely take careful consideration to avoid further losses from the tariffs.