U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration will impose new tariffs on imported furniture, a move that could directly impact the prices paid by millions of families and trade with key partner countries such as Mexico, Canada and China.
During a message published on his Social Truth account, Trump assured that the government has already opened “a major investigation” into the origin and conditions of entry of the furniture into U.S. territory. According to the president, the process will be concluded within a maximum period of 50 days and will give way to a new tax on imports, the percentage of which has not yet been defined.
Mexico, main exporter to the U.S.
“Imported furniture will be subject to a tariff that will bring this business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and other states,” Trump stated on his Truth Social account.
The president insisted that the objective is to “revive national industry” in regions traditionally linked to furniture manufacturing.
World Bank data confirm that Mexico tops the list of furniture suppliers to the U.S. market.
In 2023 alone, Mexican exports reached US$18.67 billion, which represented 47% of total imports in this sector.
Other countries with a strong presence in the industry are Canada, China, Germany and Italy.
If new taxes are applied to products, the effect could be felt both in supply chains and by end consumers.
Experts warn that, in addition to increasing prices in furniture stores, the measure would impact small import and distribution businesses.
Many of these businesses are run by immigrants in high-demand cities such as Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago or New York.
Economic and political impact
The new policy is part of Trump’s tariff strategy following his return to the White House in 2025.
Since the beginning of his second term, the president has defended taxes on foreign products as a way to “protect American jobs,” although critics say the measure will end up passing the costs on to U.S. households.
The administration has also justified some tariffs under the argument of combating drug trafficking such as fentanyl, linking certain trade flows to illicit activities.
This despite the fact that specialists insist that there is no direct relationship between the furniture and drug smuggling.
Trading partners such as Mexico and Canada have expressed concern about these policies.
They have warned that relations could deteriorate within the framework of the T-MEC (Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada), which regulates regional economic integration.
What does it mean for the Hispanic community?
Buzzy
For Latinos in the U.S., this decision may have several implications:
Consumers: prices of affordable furniture, many of which come from Mexico, are expected to increase.
Workers: in states such as North Carolina and Michigan, some see the measure as an opportunity to recover manufacturing jobs, although economists warn that the market already operates with globalized models that are difficult to reverse.
Small businesses: importers and retailers that rely on Mexican merchandise could face higher costs and reduced competitiveness.
With this decision, Trump continues to reinforce his discourse of economic nationalism, although experts agree that the real impact will depend on the magnitude of the tariff and the reaction of the affected countries.
In conclusion, tariffs on imported furniture could change not only the dynamics of U.S. consumption, but also the relationship with Mexico, the main partner in this sector.
For millions of Hispanic families, their pocketbooks could suffer in the coming months if the measure goes through.
Me complace anunciar que estamos llevando a cabo una importante investigación arancelaria sobre los muebles que ingresan a Estados Unidos. En los próximos 50 días, dicha investigación finalizará y los muebles provenientes de otros países se verán afectados por una tasa arancelaria aún por determinar. Esto reubicará el negocio de muebles en Carolina del Norte, Carolina del Sur, Michigan y otros estados de la Unión
Presidente Donald Trump
