Why Trump’s New 25% Large Truck Tariff Faces U.S. Opposition

Trump’s new large truck tariff defies influential advisor

President Donald Trump has announced that all medium- and heavy-duty trucks weighing over 10,000 lbs, as well as parts for these vehicles, will face a 25% tariff rate starting November 1, despite the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advising against it. Trump’s move represents a heightening of his effort to protect U.S. companies from foreign competition, saying it’ll benefit brands like Peterbilt, Kenworth, and Freightliner.

In early October, the Chamber of Commerce urged the Commerce Department to refrain from implementing new truck tariffs, noting that the top five import sources are Canada, Mexico, Japan, Finland, and Germany. “All [aforementioned five countries] of which are allies or close partners of the United States, posing no threat to U.S. national security,” said The Chamber of Commerce, according to Reuters. The medium- and heavy-duty truck tariffs were initially scheduled to take effect on October 1 but were delayed after manufacturers expressed concerns about price increases and potential supply chain disruptions. 

The Commerce Department began investigating heavy truck imports in April under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, according to Newsweek. Congress states that Section 232 allows the president to: “Impose restrictions on goods imports or enter into negotiations with trading partners if the U.S. Secretary of Commerce determines, following an investigation, that the quantity or other circumstance of those imports threaten to impair U.S. national security.” To date, President Trump has launched nine new Section 232 investigations. Detroit legacy automakers have been lobbying for heavy truck tariff exemptions for popular Mexican-manufactured pickups, such as those from Ram. Ford and General Motors (GM) have pushed back, stating that relief for companies like Stellantis would supply an unfair advantage and result in a slew of similar exemption requests. Despite Ford considering its Super Duty Series as meeting requirements for Trump’s new tariffs, they’re built in Kentucky and Ohio.

Mexico is the number-one exporter of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the U.S., and since 2019, its U.S. exports have tripled, reaching 340,000 units in 2025, according to Reuters. Last year, Mexico and Canada combined to represent 90% of U.S. truck imports. Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, estimates that 42% to 50% of U.S. heavy trucks are imports, according to Supply Chain Dive. The United States-Mexico-Canada agreement exempts heavy trucks from tariffs if 64% of a vehicle’s value or parts comes from North America. Trump has not yet clarified whether the new levies will be in addition to previous tariffs, and if trade partners such as the European Union or Japan will be affected. Vehicles affected by Trump’s new tariffs include garbage trucks, delivery trucks, transit vehicles, school buses, shuttle buses, public utility trucks, tractor-trailer trucks, heavy-duty vocational models, and semi trucks.

Final thoughts

President Trump’s decision to act against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s advice is significant since the organization represents the interests of millions of businesses and chambers of commerce across the country. Additionally, it remains unclear how the new 25% tariffs on large trucks affect trade partners such as the European Union and Japan, further complicating an increasingly intricate levy system. Miller added, “Common sense then tells you there is no chance in the near-term for domestic output to handle all domestic demand,” Supply Chain Dive reports.