President Donald Trump is slapping tariffs of up to 100% on some foreign goods, including certain pharmaceutical drugs, kitchen furniture, and semi-trucks, starting Oct. 1.
Trump announced the latest moves to protect American manufacturing from "unfair outside competition" in a series of posts on Truth Social.
The steepest tariffs apply to name-branded drugs, which will be subject to 100% duties unless companies build on U.S. soil.
"There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these Pharmaceutical Products if construction has started. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote.
Trump is also slapping 50% tariffs on kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and associated products, as well as 30% tariffs on upholstered furniture and 25% tariffs on trucks.
"We will be imposing a 50% Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products, starting October 1st, 2025. Additionally, we will be charging a 30% Tariff on Upholstered Furniture," Trump wrote.
The new tariffs mark an escalation in Trump's trade war, which seeks to reverse years of manufacturing losses as foreign goods have flooded the U.S.
"The reason for this is the large scale 'FLOODING' of these products into the United States by other outside Countries. It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
The president imposed the tariffs using a national security law, Section 232, which he has already used to place tariffs on goods like cars and aluminum.
Trump is also investigating goods like semi-conductors, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment under Section 232.
Broadly speaking, Trump's tariff agenda has not resulted in the crushing inflation that many economists had predicted, although prices have increased somewhat, with inflation ticking up to 2.9% in August.
Despite the broad scope of the new levies, the impact on consumers could be limited. The pharma tariffs appear to exempt generic drugs, which account for nine out of 10 prescriptions in the U.S. Top drugmakers could also avoid the tariff because many have already started building in the U.S. in response to pressure from Trump.
A trade deal that Trump negotiated with the European Union could also dampen the blow, as Europe is a major source of branded drugs.
On the other hand, tariffs on kitchen furniture could create new pressures for homebuilders at a time when home prices are out of reach for most Americans.
The U.S. economy grew much faster than expected in the second quarter of 2025, with the GDP expanding 3.8%, according to the latest figures.
