The Trump administration announced small but meaningful changes to U.S. import policy heading into 2026: reduced proposed tariffs on several Italian pasta exporters, a one-year delay of planned increases on furniture and cabinet duties, and an official proclamation invoking Section 232 to justify holding current lumber and wood-product measures while negotiations continue. These moves mix trade enforcement with negotiated relief for select foreign suppliers and buy time for the administration to keep leverage in talks over critical supply chains.
Officials said they trimmed the roughly planned punitive measures for Italian pasta companies after reviewing additional information from the industry. Italy exported more than $700 million worth of pasta to the United States in 2024, and the Commerce Department had initially proposed steep duties after finding evidence of dumping and unfair pricing. Instead of the nearly 92 percent duty some firms faced, the department reduced the assessed rates for several named exporters and set a lower uniform rate for others.
The U.S. has significantly reduced proposed tariffs on 13 Italian pasta exporters, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
The pasta-makers previously faced a potential 92 percent duty after the agency determined they were selling their pasta at unfairly low prices. Proposed tariffs on Garofalo were cut down to 13.89 percent, while those on La Molisana were reduced to 2.26 percent. The other 11 companies now face a 9.09 percent tariff.
“This post-preliminary analysis indicates that Italian pasta makers have addressed many of Commerce’s concerns raised in the preliminary determination, and reflects Commerce’s commitment to a fair, transparent process,” a Commerce Department spokesperson said in a statement.
“Commerce will continue to engage with interested parties to take into account all information before issuing the final determination,” they continued.
At the same time, the president signed a proclamation on New Year’s Eve pausing tariff increases that were set to kick in on January 1. The order leaves in place the existing 25 percent tariff on certain upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities, but postpones planned hikes that would have raised some duties to 30 percent and others to 50 percent. The administration framed the move as a way to protect American industry while allowing more time for negotiation and adjustment.
Trump’s order signed Wednesday keeps in place a 25% tariff he imposed in September on those goods, but delays for another year a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture and 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and vanities.
The increases, which were set to take effect Jan. 1, come as the Republican president instituted a broad swath of taxes on imported goods to address trade imbalances and other issues.
The president has said the tariffs on furniture are needed to “bolster American industry and protect national security.”
The White House followed up with a formal proclamation that explicitly referenced Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to justify delaying tariff increases while negotiations continue. That legal mechanism permits the president to act when imports pose a risk to national security, and the administration used it to underline concerns about strategic dependencies, particularly in wood products tied to construction and defense sectors. Officials argue these steps are about supply resilience and protecting domestic capacity against subsidized or predatory foreign competition.
The United States will therefore delay the increase in tariff rates for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities that was set to take place on January 1, 2026, under the September 29, 2025 Proclamation for an additional year.
The current 25% tariff on certain upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities, as imposed under the September 25, 2025 Proclamation, will remain in effect.
ADDRESSING THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY: Earlier this year, President Trump imposed tariffs on imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products (wood products) to bolster American industry and protect national security.
- This followed the Secretary of Commerce’s completion of a Section 232 investigation under the Act, which found that the present quantities and circumstances of the imports of wood products threatened to impair national security.
- President Trump recognizes that an overreliance on foreign timber, lumber, and their derivative products could jeopardize the United States’ defense capabilities, construction industry, and economic strength.
- America’s reliance on imported lumber is exacerbated by foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices that undermine the competitiveness of the U.S. wood products industry.
- Given the ongoing productive negotiations regarding the imports of wood products, the President is delaying the tariff increase to allow for further negotiations to occur with other countries.
The administration’s approach blends enforcement with negotiation: strict postures remain on the table, but targeted relief is available when foreign firms provide assurances or modify behavior. That mix allows the U.S. to keep pressure on unfair trade practices while avoiding immediate price shocks for key consumer goods. Observers should expect continued case-by-case assessments rather than blanket reversals of trade policy.
Domestic industries and consumers will be watching how final determinations land later this year, since those outcomes can change business plans and retail pricing. The Commerce Department has said it will keep engaging with affected parties and take new information into account before issuing final rulings. For now, the administration has signaled it will use tariffs as leverage while offering temporary relief where negotiation yields results.
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