Donald Trump announces "tariff investigation" for US furniture imports

US president Donald Trump has announced that he will be launching a probe on furniture imports with the aim of bringing furniture businesses back to states such as North Carolina.

Published last Friday 0n Trump's Truth Social account, the statement suggested his office will investigate the importation of furniture to the United States over a 50-day period.

Following the investigation, Trump promised undisclosed tariff rates on furniture.

Trump to investigate US furniture imports

"I am pleased to announce that we are doing a major tariff investigation on furniture coming into the United States," said Trump.

"Within the next 50 days, that investigation will be completed, and furniture coming from other countries into the United States will be tariffed at a rate yet to be determined," said Trump.

"This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and states all across the union."

The announcement has not officially been confirmed by the White House. However, furniture production was a key point to at least one of Trump's pre-election campaign events in North Carolina in 2024.

The remark from Trump comes after months of uncertainty in the design industries after tariffs were announced on essential products such as wood and metals.

A series of delays and shifts to the specific tariff policies have taken place throughout the year, with a slew of new country-specific tariffs coming into effect in early August.

Currently, the US imports more than $20 billion of furniture, with the majority coming from East Asia.

Added uncertainty in furniture market

It is the first time that furniture has been mentioned explicitly, except when it has featured as a line item in tariffs on timber and in product manifests from particular countries, such as Brazil, which currently faces 50 per cent tariffs.

As of Monday morning, stock prices for major retailers such as Wayfair and RH had fallen by more than five per cent.

Because of the complicated nature of furniture production and the lower levels of skilled labor in domestic furniture production, it's unclear what effect the tariffs would have.

"From off-price retailers like Bob's Discount Furniture to massive chains like Ikea to would-be climbers of the luxury mountain like RH, most of the players in the furniture world rely on imports," said the Business of Home.

"A significant tariff across the entire category would lead to significant changes at all levels of the markets."

In May, designers visiting the annual Milan Design Week to Dezeen that the effects of tariffs on the design industry could be "brutal".

The US government's current policies have delved directly into design of late, with an executive order last week establishing a National Design Studio that may is rumoured to feature AirBnB co-founder Joe Gebbia as its first chief design officer.

The order sought to establish an "America by Design" heading to "update the Government's design language to be both usable and beautiful".

The photography is via Pexels. 

The post Donald Trump announces "tariff investigation" for US furniture imports appeared first on Dezeen.