Tariff surprise.
According to CCTV News, on October 6th local time, U.S. President Trump posted on his social media platform "Truth Social" that starting November 1st, 2025, all medium and heavy-duty trucks imported into the United States from other countries and regions will be subject to a 25% tariff.
On September 25th, Trump stated that starting October 1st, a 25% tariff would be imposed on all imported heavy-duty trucks.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce had previously urged the U.S. government not to impose new tariffs on heavy-duty trucks. The Chamber pointed out that the top five sources of heavy-duty truck imports for the United States are Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Finland, stating, "These countries are all U.S. allies or close partners and do not pose a threat to U.S. national security."
Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that last year, the country imported nearly 245,000 medium and heavy-duty trucks, with a trade value exceeding $20 billion.
Several manufacturers may be affected by the new tariffs. International Cars Ltd. (formerly Navistar) has the highest reliance on imports, with about 98% of the trucks it sells in the U.S. manufactured in Mexico, followed by Daimler at about 83%. In contrast, Paccar and Volvo sell trucks in the U.S. that are almost entirely domestically produced.
The new truck tariffs will join the list of industry tariffs under the Trump administration. Previously, imported steel, aluminum, copper, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and auto parts were already on the list. Additional tariffs on softwood lumber, cabinets, vanities, and upholstered wood products will take effect on October 14th, with some rates set to increase further next year.
On August 29th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the law cited by Trump when approving tariffs on multiple countries did not grant him the authority to impose such tariffs. On the evening of September 3rd, the Trump administration filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting that this ruling be overturned as soon as possible. The U.S. Supreme Court previously announced that it would expedite the review of the legality of most tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, with oral arguments scheduled for the first week of November.
