Key Takeaways
- Protecting American Industry: President Trump’s new proclamation imposes tariffs of up to 25% on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks and parts to strengthen domestic manufacturing and national security.
- Boosting U.S. Jobs and Production: The plan incentivizes U.S. manufacturers with tariff offsets for producing trucks and engines domestically through 2030, ensuring American factories — not foreign suppliers — lead the industry.
- Securing Critical Supply Chains: By reducing reliance on foreign truck and bus imports, the administration aims to safeguard essential transportation, military readiness, and infrastructure that power the American economy.
President Donald J. Trump is once again putting American industry first, this time targeting the nation’s trucking sector with a sweeping new proclamation designed to safeguard national security and revive domestic manufacturing.
On Thursday, the president invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose tariffs on imports of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, parts, and buses — a move the administration says will strengthen U.S. supply chains, protect critical infrastructure, and ensure military readiness.
The new policy includes a 25% tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks and parts, along with a 10% tariff on buses. The tariffs apply to vehicles like cargo trucks, dump trucks, and eighteen-wheeler tractors, and to key parts such as engines, transmissions, and chassis. Trucks built under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will face tariffs only on their foreign content, incentivizing manufacturers to increase American sourcing.
“Trucks and buses of all kinds are indispensable to military readiness, disaster response, and the continuity of America’s critical infrastructure,” the White House said. Imports currently make up 43% of all trucks sold in the U.S., with foreign suppliers dominating the parts market. Trump’s move seeks to reverse that imbalance and bring production back under American control.
The plan also includes tariff offsets — worth up to 3.75% of the total value of vehicles or engines assembled in the U.S. — to reward companies that manufacture domestically.
This latest action follows years of Trump administration efforts to rebuild the nation’s industrial base and ensure America is never dependent on foreign producers for essential goods. From steel to semiconductors, Trump’s “America First” trade strategy has consistently prioritized domestic strength over global appeasement.
As the president put it, only factories “here, on American soil, subject to American law,” can guarantee the reliability and resilience that the nation’s economy — and security — demand.