On Sept. 29, President Trump issued a proclamation under Section 232 imposing new tariffs on lumber, furniture, cabinets, and other wood products effective October 14, 2025, as outlined below:

  • 10% global tariff on softwood lumber
  • 25% global tariff on certain upholstered furniture, rising to 30% January 1, 2026
  • 25% global tariff on kitchen cabinets/vanities, rising to 50% January 1, 2026

One important thing to note: All tariff provisions under Chapter 44 of the USHTS are being removed from Annex II of Executive Order 14257 for any shipments arriving to the U.S. on or after October 14th (there is no in-transit exclusion for this). This means any lumber products previously excluded from Annex II of Executive Order 14257 will be subject to reciprocal tariffs moving forward, if the product is not specifically identified in this Executive Order.   

U.S. Trade “Partners” will receive more favorable treatment that reflects the terms of their trade deals, as defined below:

  • UK is capped at 10%
  • EU and Japan are capped at 15% combined MFN + 232 rate
  • Other countries may face reciprocal tariffs if they are not under special treatment

The Commerce Department’s Section 232 report concluded that imports threaten U.S. national security by weakening domestic mill capacity, eroding competitiveness, and risking shortages for defense and critical infrastructure needs. Wood products are deemed essential for munitions, missile-defense systems, housing, transport, and the power grid.

The proclamation annex lists tariff subheadings covered. The administration also warned of potential additional tariffs to prevent circumvention and mentioned that countries negotiating with the U.S. may secure alternatives.

As always, Shapiro is closely monitoring the current trade environment and will keep you apprised of any changes or updates as they arise.