The United States will begin applying a 25% tariff on all medium- and heavy-duty truck imports from 1 November, President Donald Trump announced on Monday.
The statement was made via social media, with no additional details provided, leaving uncertainty over the potential impact on Japan’s automotive sector and economy.
In late September, citing national security concerns, Trump had said the same tariff rate would apply to heavy-duty trucks starting this month. However, the tariff did not take effect as planned, and the White House offered no explanation for the delay.
The tariff, like other sector-specific measures, is being implemented under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows the government to investigate whether imports of certain goods, including medium- and heavy-duty trucks and their components, pose a threat to national security. The US Commerce Department initiated the investigation in April.
The US Chamber of Commerce criticized the proposed increase last month, urging the administration to reconsider.
The organization highlighted the potential widespread impact, noting that the US trucking industry handles 70% of the nation’s freight.
According to the US government, medium-duty trucks are defined as those with a gross vehicle weight between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds (approximately 4.5 to 11.8 metric tons), while heavy-duty trucks are those weighing 26,001 pounds or more.
Most trucks imported into the US originate from Mexico, where both domestic and foreign manufacturers produce a range of vehicles under a trilateral free trade agreement involving Canada. In 2024, around 154,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks were imported from Mexico, followed by Canada with about 43,000 units. Imports from Japan were roughly 10% of the Mexican figure, according to official US data.
Earlier this year, in April, Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on passenger vehicles and light trucks, raising the respective duty rates to 27.5% and 50%.
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