Continuing his streak of tariff announcements, United States President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on medium and heavy-duty trucks imported into the US. The tariffs will come into effect from November 1, 2025. Industry groups, such as the Coalition for a Prosperous America have welcomed the move, while the US Chamber of Commerce, has urged caution, citing potential negative impacts

Trump has shared about the latest directive on his social media platform, Truth Social. This comes as a part of his continued push to strengthen American manufacturing and protect domestic industries. Trump stated, “Beginning November 1st, 2025, all Medium and Heavy Duty Trucks coming into the United States from other Countries will be Tariffed at the Rate of 25%.”

The decision was initially expected to be made in October, but it was delayed to a later date. In a previous post, he stated that by levying tariff, he aims to protect American truck manufacturers from what he described as “unfair outside competition. “In order to protect our Great Heavy Truck Manufacturers from unfair outside competition, I will be imposing, as of October 1st, 2025, a 25% Tariff on all ‘Heavy (Big!) Trucks’ made in other parts of the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump added that this move would largely benefit truck companies such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, and Mack Trucks. “Therefore, our Great Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions. We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!” he further stated in his post

Which 5 countries could face the blow?

Trump’s 25% tariff on medium and heavy-duty trucks imported into the US aims to eliminate the foreign completion that American truck manufacturers have been receiving. The tariffs will impact affect delivery trucks, garbage trucks, public utility trucks, transit and shuttle buses, school buses, semi-trucks, and other heavy-duty vocational vehicles.

Notably, the countries that are expected to be hit by this move include Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Finland. These are the top five countries exporting trucks to the US. Furthermore, the tariff is likely to disrupt trade and impact companies like Stellantis, which produces heavy-duty Ram trucks and commercial vans in Mexico. However, it is noteworthy that under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, medium and heavy-duty trucks move tariff-free if at least 64% of a heavy truck’s value originates in North America.