Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association (AfA), urged the U.S. government to freeze tariffs, not trade, as the Trump administration's trade negotiations continue. 

"We understand that these tariffs were initially set to balance the trade deficit of foreign goods entering the U.S., and that tariffs are a commonplace mechanism of international trade," Brandon Fried, executive director, the AfA, said in a remark during the CNS Partnership Conference in Miami.

"The instability caused, however, by mass tariff implementation, negotiation, and bilateral agreements, as well as inevitable disputes over high rates, has hit our industry, and we need to freeze tariffs, not our ability to trade."

Fried noted that forwarders are facing increasing challenges, forced to develop solutions that can become outdated within days or weeks.

Since the beginning of 2025, the U.S. government has announced wide-ranging tariffs on almost all nations, starting with a 25% tariff on almost all Mexican and Canadian goods in February this year.

"We need to invest in our infrastructure and security," Fried, said. "Our ability to trade is crucial in today's geopolitical landscape, and the U.S. transportation and logistics sector has always been a proud partner of U.S. industry, delivering our import and export capabilities globally."

"We are ready to work with the Trump administration to support this and most importantly to make sure the U.S. is open for business, both domestically and internationally," he added.