On Thursday, Donald Trump announced the implementation of additional stringent tariffs. The United States will now impose a 100% tariff on imported branded drugs, a 25% tariff on all imported heavy-duty trucks, and a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets. Furthermore, Trump stated that starting next week, a 30% tariff would be applied to upholstered furniture.
According to Trump, the new tariffs on heavy-duty trucks aim to safeguard American manufacturers from unfair foreign competition and will benefit companies such as Paccar-owned Peterbilt and Kenworth, as well as Daimler Truck-owned Freightliner. He has initiated numerous national security investigations to consider the imposition of tariffs on various products.
Trump justified the implementation of tariffs on kitchen, bathroom, and some furniture items by pointing to the substantial amount of imports from foreign countries, which he claims are negatively impacting domestic manufacturers. He expressed concerns regarding the national security implications of these imports.
The US Chamber of Commerce opposed the new tariffs, emphasizing that the imports come from countries that are allies or close partners of the United States, such as Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Finland, which do not pose a threat to national security. Mexico, in particular, is the largest exporter of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the United States, as imports of these vehicles have tripled since 2019.
Higher tariffs on commercial vehicles could potentially increase transportation costs, which may contradict Trump’s commitment to reducing inflation, especially on consumer goods, such as groceries. Additionally, tariffs might affect companies such as Chrysler-parent Stellantis, which produces heavy-duty Ram trucks and commercial vans in Mexico, as well as Sweden’s Volvo Group, which is building a heavy-truck factory in Mexico.
Mexico is home to 14 manufacturers and assemblers of buses, trucks, and tractor trucks, and two manufacturers of engines, according to the US International Trade Administration. The country is also the leading global exporter of tractor trucks, 95% of which are exported to the United States. Trump emphasized the importance of financially safeguarding American truckers for national security purposes.
Mexico has opposed the imposition of new tariffs, informing the commerce department in May that all Mexican trucks exported to the United States have on average 50% US content, including diesel engines. In 2022, the United States imported nearly $128 billion worth of heavy vehicle parts from Mexico, which accounted for approximately 28% of overall US imports.
The Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association has also expressed opposition to the new tariffs, stating that Japanese companies have been reducing their exports to the United States as they increased production in the United States for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/25/trump-tariffs-heavy-trucks-drugs-kitchen-cabinets
