WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has threatened new tariffs on imported furniture while announcing a major investigation into the sector.
“We are doing a major Tariff Investigation on Furniture coming into the United States,“ Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.
The investigation will be completed within the next fifty days according to the US leader.
Trump confirmed the tariff rate for furniture remains undecided but justified the plan as necessary to revive manufacturing in states like North Carolina, South Carolina and Michigan.
The United States employed over 340,000 people in furniture manufacturing as of July, approximately half the level seen in the year 2000.
China and Vietnam represent major sources of American furniture imports according to industry data.
The United States imported $25.5 billion worth of furniture in 2024 according to trade publication Furniture Today.
This move follows Trump’s previous tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles and various other products this year.
The administration has launched multiple investigations into imports including pharmaceuticals, chips, critical minerals and various goods while considering national security effects.
Such investigations typically require months to conclude and could eventually justify imposing new tariffs.
Economies like Vietnam and China already face separate countrywide levies with specific sectors subject to different rates.
Some country-specific duties currently face legal challenges in various jurisdictions.
Sectoral tariffs imposed after investigations generally receive stronger legal recognition according to trade experts.
Trump’s new duties on trading partners have increased business costs for importers and other firms since his January return to office.
The impact on overall consumer inflation appears limited presently although economists anticipate gradual effects throughout the world’s largest economy. – AFP