By Frank Chen

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US President Donald Trump has declared his administration will start slapping steep tariffs on countries that export furniture to America, putting China in the crosshairs of his efforts to bring manufacturing back to his country again, even amid ongoing high-level efforts between Washington and Beijing aimed at resolving their trade differences.
“In order to make North Carolina, which has completely lost its furniture business to China, and other Countries, GREAT again, I will be imposing substantial Tariffs on any Country that does not make its furniture in the United States. Details to follow!!! President DJT,” Trump vowed in one of a flurry of posts on Truth Social platform on Monday morning.
Trump’s tariff policy stems from his promises to help the furniture industry “return” to states like North Carolina, South Carolina and Michigan.
In August, Trump already suggested at a cabinet meeting that duties could reach 100 or even 200 per cent, while signalling that the measures would be implemented “pretty quickly”.
“That [furniture] business was stolen from us by others, not only China,” he said. “All of a sudden, you’re ordering furniture from China.”

China is the world’s largest furniture producer, with its output accounting for more than a quarter of the global share, and it is also the largest furniture exporter.
Popular with American families for its competitiveness in cost and diverse range of styles, Chinese furniture and wood products and those from other Asian countries have for years dominated the market, crowding out domestic manufacturers.
Trump spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on September 19 to discuss trade issues in a dialogue both sides described as constructive. Both also expressed hope for a trade agreement, as the world’s two largest economies have extended their tariff war ceasefire until November.
The call came after US and Chinese trade officials held their fourth round of talks in recent months in Madrid earlier this month.
In 2024, the US imported US$25.5 billion worth of furniture, up 7 per cent year on year and 60 per cent of the total came from Vietnam and China.
Data from the China National Furniture Association show total furniture exports were US$34.9 billion in the first half of 2025 and that the US remained the largest export destination with a share of US$8 billion despite tariffs.
Since 2018, Section 301 tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term have pushed import costs on Chinese furniture as high as 34 per cent.
America’s furniture-and-fixtures manufacturing sector employs about 269,000 workers and generated roughly US$104 billion in sales from March 2024 to March 2025, according to data provider IndustrySelect. The industry is notably concentrated in Southern states, which account for 33 per cent of all domestic manufacturers.
Trump’s renewed threat to impose tariffs on imported furniture could erode some of China’s exports while doing little to bring manufacturing back home as he promised, said an analyst.
“The measures are likely broad-based with the intention to reshore furniture manufacturing rather than directly target China,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING.
“China’s furniture exports and production have already been under pressure this year after the US tariff hikes,” he added. “Given that the margins tend to be thin and these products are often competing on the low price segment of the market, further tariff hikes will worsen the competition.”
But he said such reshoring back to the US would be complex and take time.
As part of the latest tariff offensive, Trump announced last week a 50 per cent tariff on imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and a 30 per cent tariff on upholstered furniture, among others.
“The reason for this is the large scale “FLOODING” of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump said.