The US opens a new "tariff front", many industries are in the sights

US President Donald Trump on September 25 announced a series of new import tariffs, including a 100% tax on pharmaceuticals and a 25% tax on heavy trucks, among other items, starting next week.

Tariffs have become a signature policy tool of Mr. Trump’s second term, with duties ranging from 10% to 50% levied on imports from trading partners and many specific products. The move is adding uncertainty to the global economic outlook and making it harder for businesses to make investment decisions.

The new measures are seen as strengthening the legal basis for the Trump administration's tax policy, as the Supreme Court considers the legality of the wide-ranging tariffs he has enacted.

President Trump also announced a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and bathroom sinks, along with a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture, all of which will take effect on October 1, 2025. He said the tariffs were due to the massive volume of imports that are hurting domestic manufacturers. A 100% tariff on all brand-name or patented drugs will apply to all imports, unless the company has already started building a manufacturing plant in the United States.

The Trump administration is currently conducting dozens of investigations into the national security implications of items such as wind turbines, aircraft, semiconductors, polysilicon, copper, timber and critical minerals, which could form the basis for new tariffs. This week, he also announced additional investigations into personal protective equipment, robotics and industrial machinery.

Mr. Trump has made tariffs a key diplomatic tool of his presidency, using them to renegotiate trade agreements, exert political pressure, and force concessions from other countries. His administration has also promoted import duties as a major source of revenue. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States could collect $300 billion in tariffs by the end of the year, more than three times the average tax collection in recent years.

Previously, Mr. Trump imposed tariffs on national security grounds on steel, aluminum and derivative products, small cars and parts, as well as copper.

Trade agreements signed by the US with Japan, the European Union (EU) and the UK all contain provisions to limit tariffs on certain products such as cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, meaning new tariffs would not exceed agreed ceilings.

Mr. Trump said that the new tax on heavy trucks is to protect American manufacturers from "unfair competition" from outside, and at the same time help companies like Peterbilt and Kenworth (part of Paccar) or Freightliner (part of Daimler Truck).

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America opposes the new drug tax, arguing that 53% of the value of $85.6 billion worth of raw materials used in pharmaceuticals consumed in the US is produced domestically, with the rest coming from Europe and its allies.

The US Chamber of Commerce also called for no tariffs on trucks, stressing that the five largest sources of imports – Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and Finland – are all close allies or partners that do not pose a threat to US national security.

In August 2025, Mr. Trump pledged to impose new taxes on furniture, with the goal of “bringing the furniture industry back to states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Michigan.” According to government data, employment in the wood and furniture manufacturing industry in the United States has halved since 2000, to about 340,000 people.

Higher tariffs on commercial vehicles could push up transportation costs, putting pressure on inflation at a time when Mr. Trump has pledged to lower prices, especially on essentials like food.

Mexico also opposes the new tax. In May 2025, Mexican representatives told the US Department of Commerce that on average, Mexican trucks exported to the US contained 50% US components, including diesel engines. Last year, the US imported nearly $128 billion worth of heavy-duty vehicle parts from Mexico. Meanwhile, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association also spoke out against the new tax, claiming that Japanese companies had reduced exports while increasing production of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the US.

Source: https://vtv.vn/my-mo-mat-tran-thue-quan-moi-hang-loat-nganh-hang-lot-vao-tam-ngam-100250926151354892.htm