After announcing a major new tariff policy on kitchen and bathroom products imported to the US, the official White House website has now clarified that the 50% rate will not apply on exports from the UK, EU or Japan.
Trump made the surprise announcement earlier this week, declaring that a new 50% tariff would be imposed on cabinets and vanities exported to the United States in response to other countries “flooding” the market with products.
Today, in a fact sheet with the wordy title of “President Donald J. Trump Addresses the Threat to National Security from Imports of Timber, Lumber, and Their Derivative Products”, the White House clarified that the tariff “on subject wood imports from the United Kingdom” will not exceed 10%.
This is in keeping with the new trade deal struck between the UK and the US on May 8, which limits the United States’ additional tariff to just 10% on most imports, with the exception of products like steel or automobile parts.
In today’s fact sheet, the White House also made it clear that the tariff on KBB furniture imports from the EU and Japan will be limited to just 15%. For the rest of the world, the United States is bringing in a 25% tariff for “kitchen cabinets and vanities”, apparently effective immediately, which will increase to 50% on January 1, 2026.
The White House has also said that it is open to negotiating lower tariff rates with countries who “address the threat of wood imports to the national security of the United States”.
Trump has faced criticism from those in the industry for linking threats of national security to the new tariff policy on simple cabinets and vanities, and this is also addressed within today’s fact sheet. It says: “President Trump recognises that an over-reliance on foreign timber, lumber, and their derivative products could jeopardise the United States’ defence capabilities, construction industry, and economic strength.
“America’s reliance on imported lumber is exacerbated by foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices, which undermine the competitiveness of the U.S. wood products industry.”
Following the announcement of the tariffs earlier this week, Bill Darcy Jr, the CEO of America’s National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), said his organisation was “carefully reviewing the implications of the newly announced tariffs on our $228 Billion industry and its stakeholders”.
He continued: “One thing is certain: the NKBA’s 55,000 members are resilient. We remain focused on empowering them and providing the resources they need to create stability and growth for their clients and employees.”