Kaylee Wells

It's a political one, too.

Consider the last five years.

Russia invaded Ukraine.

The U.S.

started talking about taking Greenland from Denmark, plus all the tariffs.

So we've got big countries with big economies threatening small countries with small economies.

Kathleen McNamara teaches government at Georgetown University.

She says amid all this uncertainty, smaller states are feeling pressured to pick sides for protection.

Sweden might pick Europe because, yes, the U.S.

dollar has historically been the port in international economic storms.

But today?

Which creates an opening for Europeans and their euro to become political and economic leaders.

McNamara says she's waiting to see not just if Sweden adopts the euro, but if Denmark will follow suit.

I'm Kayleigh Wells for Marketplace.

This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews.

Sure, these metals are in cars and cabinet hinges and pie tins, but it's also used in just about everything, says Philip Luck at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Even, say, paper needs a metal blade to cut down the tree and a metal-laden truck and forklift to ship and move the logs.

The question is, how much would that rollback impact most of us?

Economist and UCLA law professor Kimberly Clausing says consumers are struggling with the cost of health care and housing and groceries.

Steel and aluminum just don't account for that big a chunk of those costs.