The Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs effective 1 October 2025, including a 100% duty on branded pharmaceuticals and 50% tariffs levied on trucks, cabinets, vanities, and 30% tariffs on upholstered furniture.
President Donald Trump announced a series of new tariffs set to take effect starting next month, 1 October 2025, aimed at bolstering US manufacturing and addressing national security concerns.
Among the most significant measures is a 100% tariff on branded or patented pharmaceutical imports, unless the company is actively constructing a manufacturing facility in the US.
However, products from companies already breaking ground on US plants would be exempt from this tariff.
“There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these pharmaceutical products if construction has started,” Trump said on Truth Social.
In addition to pharmaceuticals, the administration will impose a 25% tariff on heavy-duty trucks, a 50% tariff on imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, and a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture.
These moves are part of a broader strategy to revive domestic industries, including furniture manufacturing, and to reduce reliance on imports.
The new tariffs follow earlier sweeping import tariffs of up to 50% on various goods and targeted levies on steel and other imports. While recent trade agreements with Japan, the EU, and the UK include caps on tariffs for certain products like pharmaceuticals, it remains unclear if the new measures will stack on top of existing tariffs.
“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. The reason for this is the large-scale “FLOODING” of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump announced on Truth Social.
The administration has also launched multiple investigations into the national security implications of importing critical goods, such as wind turbines, semiconductors, and medical equipment, signalling the potential for further tariffs.
These actions reflect a shift toward using established legal frameworks to justify trade measures, as the Supreme Court reviews the legality of Trump’s earlier global tariffs.
Earlier, the US Appeals Court ruling on 29 August stated that Trump had exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law intended for emergencies, but allowed them to remain in place until 14 October to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. Historically, IEEPA has been used for sanctions and asset freezes, not tariffs, making Trump’s use of the law unprecedented.
