Trump Imposes 25% Tariff On Imported Heavy Trucks Starting Oct. 1

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will impose a 25% tariff on imported heavy-duty trucks starting Oct. 1, citing “unfair outside competition” and national security risks, according to CNBC.

“All ‘Heavy (big!) Trucks’ made in other parts of the world” will be targeted, Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions.”

The tariffs are part of a broader package: 100% duties on branded drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets, and 30% on upholstered furniture, all effective Oct. 1. Trump said the cabinet and furniture duties respond to “large scale FLOODING” of imports harming U.S. producers.

CNBC reports that the moves come as the administration launches new Section 232 probes into imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and medical devices. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows tariffs on national security grounds and has previously been used for autos, copper, steel, and aluminum.

Truckmakers expressed caution. “We are looking forward to reviewing the details of the Medium and Heavy Truck Section 232 announcement made by the President,” said a PACCAR spokesperson, owner of Peterbilt and Kenworth. Daimler Truck, parent of Freightliner, and Volvo-owned Mack Trucks did not comment.

Analysts warned the measures may raise costs. David Forgue, a trade lawyer, said domestic producers could benefit little if high tariffs on inputs remain. “Without something like that, the input tariffs will continue to be a drag on manufacturing,” he noted, pointing to earlier “tariff offsets” granted for cars and light trucks.

Mexico is the largest supplier of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the U.S., followed by Canada, Japan, Germany, and Turkey. Heavy-truck shipments from U.S. plants climbed from a low of $1.1 billion in April 2020 to $3.2 billion this July, though they have dipped modestly this year, Federal Reserve data shows.

Deborah Elms of the Hinrich Foundation said the sweeping tariffs leave major questions unanswered, including whether they comply with existing trade agreements, but predicted they would “almost certainly drive up prices for American buyers.”