Trump administration delays furniture tariff increases until next year

The Trump administration is lowering tariffs on even more products as the White House focuses its messaging on affordability, an issue that defines the concerns of American voters.

The White House announced on Wednesday that the customs duties planned to be applied to furniture, kitchen cabinets and make-up items on Thursday will be postponed for another year; This comes after President Donald Trump had already reduced tariffs on imported foods such as coffee and bananas.

“This suggests that the White House understands at some level that President Trump’s tariffs are increasing consumer prices, and that Trump and the Republican Party are suffering significant political damage from higher prices,” Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, said in an email to Fox News Digital Friday.

The White House imposed a 25% tariff on furniture, kitchen cabinets and makeup in October. It was planned to increase furniture tariffs to 30 percent and cabinet and vanity table tariffs to 50 percent in January.

WHITE HOUSE INTERESTED IN MAJOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PLAN AS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS

But the current 25% rate will remain for the rest of the year, the White House said in December, due to “productive” negotiations with trading partners addressing “trade reciprocity and national security concerns regarding wood product imports.”

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in November that home furnishings increased by 4.6% last year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, released in December, found that consumer costs rose 2.7% last year.

As a result, Republican strategist Matt Gorman said he expects the White House to launch additional initiatives such as delaying higher tariffs in 2026.

President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order imposing tariffs on imported goods during the “Make America Prosperous Again” trade announcement event in the White House Rose Garden on April 2, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL BRING THE COUNTRY BACK FROM THE ‘BRIDGET’

“The White House is focused on lowering costs for the American people. This is another example of that. These tariffs give the president maximum flexibility, and that’s a great asset for them to use,” Gorman, who previously served as communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in an email to Fox News Digital Friday. he said. “I expect to see more of these moves that lower costs for the average consumer as the year progresses.”

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on how the delay on higher tariffs relates to Trump’s messaging on affordability and the economy, saying the order reflects positive progress in trade talks.

Affordability and the economy were top priorities for voters in the 2025 election, which included New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s race as well as several other key gubernatorial races won by Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey.

FOX NEWS POLL: AS PRICES COME UP, VOTERS SEE TRUMP FOCUSING ELSEWHERE

Fox News Voter Poll data found that New York City voters ranked affordability as their top concern, and New Jersey voters reported the state’s high taxes and the economy as the top two issues. Additionally, survey data found that half of Virginia voters say the economy is their top priority.

U.S. President Donald Trump makes remarks during an event at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2025. Trump discussed his administration’s economic agenda and efforts to lower the cost of living. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The election has led Republicans to focus on economic issues in recent weeks; He blamed former President Joe Biden for rising inflation costs and touted Trump’s record on economic issues.

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For example, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in December that Trump’s policies were making America “affordable again” and that the administration was working every day to “lower the cost of living through bigger paychecks and lower prices.”

In addition, Trump argued that the economy was “roaring” and said he would grade his performance on the economy in December as “A plus plus plus plus plus plus plus.”