Trump eyes tariffs on furniture, Thai exports in top 10 at risk
The Thai Trade Centre in Miami has reported that US President Donald Trump is preparing to impose import tariffs on furniture products. Thai furniture currently ranks among the top 10 sources of US imports.
The centre, under the Ministry of Commerce, stated that Trump announced via Truth Social that the US is considering tariffs exclusively on imported furniture, with an investigation now under way to determine the necessity and the precise tariff rate.
Trump has set a 50-day timeframe, starting August 22, for a final announcement, the centre said.
The Thai Trade Centre pointed out that this was not the first time the president had raised the issue. On March 1, Trump signed an executive order citing threats to US national security from imports of raw wood, processed timber and wood-based products, instructing the Department of Commerce to investigate potential trade disadvantages.
Analysts expect the new tariff measure to invoke Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows national security-based trade restrictions. This was the same provision used for steel and aluminium tariffs, currently set at 50%.
Should the furniture tariffs follow the same framework, they could be imposed at even higher levels than the reciprocal tariffs Trump introduced earlier.
Although Trump has demanded a tariff figure be finalised within 50 days, by mid-October, technical regulations stipulate a 270-day timeframe for the Commerce Department to complete its investigation, plus an additional 90 days for presidential action.
This has led to speculation that Trump’s deadline may be driven more by political calculation than procedure, the centre said.
The Thai Trade Centre in Miami added that furniture remains one of Thailand’s key export categories to the US, ranking tenth overall, with core products including general furniture, lamps and chairs.
Thai exporters are now urged to closely monitor the outcome of the investigation, particularly regarding:
- Product scope – whether tariffs will apply uniformly to all furniture categories or be divided by material (wood, metal, upholstered) and use (bedroom, living room, kitchen).
- Tariff structure – whether rates will be applied across all import origins or target specific countries.
- Exemptions and calculations – whether the tariff will be applied in addition to existing import duties or as a substitute for them.
The Thai Trade Centre in Miami confirmed it will closely track developments and prepare a comprehensive report on the US furniture market for further dissemination.
