President Donald Trump has moved to expand his trade war on multiple fronts, unveiling tariffs of up to 100 per cent on pharmaceuticals and sharp new duties on heavy trucks and furniture. The announcement marks one of the broadest extensions of his tariff regime so far, aimed at forcing industries to shift production back to US soil.
Pharma, trucks, and furniture in the crosshairs
The tariffs will range from 30 to 100 per cent, with pharmaceuticals facing the steepest increase. A 100 per cent duty is set to apply on imported branded and patented medicines unless companies are already constructing plants inside the United States or if their home countries have specific trade agreements covering pharmaceuticals. Generic medicines are excluded for now, but branded imports—particularly from Ireland, Switzerland, and Germany—will see their prices double for US buyers.
Furniture shipments to the US will face tariffs of between 30 and 50 per cent, while heavy trucks will carry a 25 per cent duty. Both sectors rely heavily on aluminium, which makes the tariff burden even greater. Large commercial trucks contain on average 124 kilograms of aluminium, while smaller models use about 88 kilograms.
The lightweight metal is also increasingly common in office, modular, outdoor, and premium furniture lines, where it is valued for strength and corrosion resistance.