Trade organizations say that the US footwear industry needs predictable trade policies.

Matt Priest, CEO of the industry trade organization FDRA, stated that American footwear companies need strong and predictable trade policies to ensure they can compete globally. Priest said, "As President Trump wisely pointed out last year, producing shoes in the United States is not a strategic goal of his government." "Despite this statement, the government has doubled shoe tariffs within a year." Priest said that sudden or widespread tariff actions increase consumer costs, disrupt procurement relationships, and harm small brands that cannot easily shift production. Priest urged decision makers to avoid imposing additional shoe tariffs and stated that any new trade investigations or tariffs should be handled publicly and with a realistic understanding of how global supply chains operate.