Since January 2025, when President Trump took office for his second term, it's been much more than a bit of turmoil for the retail industry.
It's been a tidal wave of turmoil and pretty much a boat load of panic given the administration's tariff threats, announcements, declarations and policy decisions.
Given the tariff potential to impact the retail customer experience — from finding needed products on the shelves to online ordering in the e-commerce realm — Retail Customer Experience crafted a timeline of tariff pronouncements as part of its coverage of how consumers are reacting, what retailers, big and small, are doing in response and expert insight on what retailers should be doing and not doing. It will be updated as tariff decisions hit the headlines.
Jan. 20, 2025
Just hours after being sworn in President Donald Trump declared 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. Six days later he declared tariffs on goods from Colombia but backed off and put the tariff threat on the shelf.
February 1, 2025
President Trump executed an order for 25% tariffs on most goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on China. China immediately responded with a threat about countermeasures.
February 3, 2025
President Trump put a 30-day pause on those initial tariffs for Mexico and Canada but mentioned tariffs against Europe. A day later the China 10% tariff went into effect and China responded with tariff declarations of its own. Less than two weeks later came a tariff plan for trading partners and tariffs against foreign cars.
March 4, 2025
The Mexico, Canada and China tariffs went into effect and a day later President Trump paused the automobile tariff and two days later the Mexico and Canada tariffs were put on suspension. Reciprocal tariffs for U.S. trading partners remained in play.
China, on March 10, imposed tariffs on U.S. farm products and Ontario Canada announced a 25% surcharge on electricity for three U.S. states.
April 2, 2025
President Trump had applied a 10% tariff to all nations importing into the U.S. China responded with a 34% tariff on U.S. imports and Vietnam was quickly asking the U.S. for a reprieve on a 46% export tariff.
April 9, 2025
At this point, China goods had a 104% tariff, European goods had a 20% import tax, and there was a 24% tariff tax for Japan. China then enacted an additional 50% tariff on U.S. goods and the European Union enacted new tariffs for the U.S.
President Trump reversed course, putting tariffs on hold for three months and announcing a universal 10% tariff that didn't include China. He instead raised the China tariff by 125% for a total tariff of 145%. China then responded with a 125% tariff on U.S. goods.
April 23, 2025
A dozen states sued Trump over the tariffs contending tariff decisions are in the hands of Congress and want the court to block Trump from enforcing what they termed "unlawful tariffs."
April 29, 2025
President Trump revered course on the automobile tariff plan modifying the initial 25% tariffs. At this point tariffs of 25% on imported vehicles and auto parts remain in place, but automakers will not have to pay tariffs on steel and aluminum on top of the car tariffs.
April 30, 2025
In response to questions at the conclusion of a cabinet meeting President Trump acknowledged the tariff war with China may have an impact on retail shelves. "You know, somebody said, 'Oh, the shelves are going to be open,'" Trump said according to a New York Times report. "Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know? And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally."
May 4, 2025
President Trump also announced a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S., according to a report at The Guardian.
In an interview with "Meet the Press," President Trump said he won't take tariffs off the table permanently. "No, I wouldn't do that because if somebody thought they were going to come off the table, why would they build in the United States?" he said.
May 5, 2025
President Trump tells NBC that Chinese imports to the U.S. will eventually be lowered. "At some point, I'm going to lower them because otherwise you could never do business with them," he said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker," taped on May 2. "They want to do business very much … their economy is collapsing."
A New York Times report revealed consumers face an average effective tariff rate of 28%, the highest since 1901. The report cited the Budget Lab at Yale for the figure.
Toy maker Mattel said it would raise prices due to the 145% tariff on China imports from China.
May 8, 2025
President Trump announces a reduction of import taxes on a set number of British cars and allow some steel and aluminum into the country tariff-free. The deal between the U.K. and U.S. leaves a 10% duty in place on most goods from the UK.
May 9, 2025
President Donald Trump indicated he may be willing to lower tariffs on China to 80%. "80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, according to a CNBC report. 'Scott B' refers to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The 80% tariff reflects a big drop from the 145% tariff announced on April 9.
May 12, 2025
The United States and China agree to roll back tariffs on each other's goods by 115 percentage points for an initial 90-day period, according to a White House statement. The tariff revisions will be imposed by May 14. President's Trump's 20% fentanyl-related levies on China, imposed in February and March, remain in place. That means the U.S. will temporarily lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China will cut its levies on American imports from 125% to 10%.
May 17, 2025
President Donald Trump announces trade tariffs are going too slow with 150 countries wanting to make a new deal so he'll give them a few more weeks and then determine new higher tariffs via letters. He said "we'll be very fair," according to a CNN report.
May 23, 2025
President Donald Trump announces his intention to place a 50% tariff on all EU imports to the U.S. starting June 1. In a post on his social network Trump said the decision is due to a stall in his battle to secure concessions from the EU. On April 2 the U.S. imposed a 20% reciprocal rate on most EU goods but that was cut in half a week later with an end date of July 8 for talks to take place.
In the same day Trump said he intends to slap Apple with a 25% tariff for any iPhone sold but not made in the U.S. if the company doesn't start moving manufacturing to the U.S. He made the announcement in a post on his social network. "I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone's that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else," he wrote. "If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the US. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
May 25, 2025
President Trump delays a 50% tariff on all EU imports until July 9 to provide more time for trade deal talks. He had threatened on May 23 to enact the tariffs on June 1 if an agreement wasn't reached within a week. The European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, said talks will take place "swiftly and decisively."
May 28, 2025
A New York federal court rules President Donald Trump overstepped his authority to declare a national emergency in order to impose tariffs on imports from almost every country in the world. The ruling gives the White House up to 10 days to end the imposed tariffs. The Trump administration filed an appeal on the same day.
May 29, 2025
A federal appeals court reinstates most of President Donald Trump's tariffs, on a temporary basis. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said it put the pause on to consider the government's appeal and said the plaintiffs need to respond by June 5 and the administration by June 9.
May 30, 2025
President Donald Trump announced he was doubling tariffs on steel imports to 50%. It will also apply to imported aluminum and take effect June 4.
June 3, 2025
A federal judge has extended the pause of a court order that invalidated most of the imposed tariffs until an appeals court resolves the case.
June 11, 2025
President Donald Trump announces his administration will send letters within the next several week to U.S. trade partners to formally establish new tariff terms. "At a certain point, we're just going to send letters out. And I think you understand that, saying this is the deal, you can take it or leave it." On May 25 Trump delayed a 50% tariff on all EU imports until July 9.
June 12, 2025
President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would charge a 55% tariff on Chinese goods, while Beijing would impose a 10% tariff on U.S. goods. He also stated China will continue to export magnets and rare earth materials, while the U.S. would allow Chinese students to continue studying in the U.S.
June 27, 2025
President Trump announced the U.S. would terminate all trade discussions with Canada, "effective immediately," over the country's plan to begin collecting digital services taxes that will affect U.S. technology giants.Canada's 3% digital services tax went into effect last year and the initial payments are due beginning next week. As the tax is retroactive, U.S. companies will need to pay roughly $2.7 billion. President Trump called the Canadian taxes as a "blatant attack," and said he will tell Canada within the next seven days how much it "will be paying to do business with the United States of America."
June 29, 2025
Canada rescinded the digital services tax following President Donald Trump's declaration two days earlier he was ending all trade talk with Canada given Canada's intention to collect on a year's worth of digital services taxes. Canada and the U.S. intend to restart trade negotiations with the goal of a deal by July 21. Canada is the second-largest trading partner of the U.S., after Mexico, and the largest buyer of U.S. exports.
June 30, 2025
President Donald Trump threatens higher tariffs on Japanese exports to the U.S. given Japan's "unwillingness" to buy American-grown rice. "They won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage. In other words, we'll just be sending them a letter, and we love having them as a Trading Partner for many years to come," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
July 7, 2025
President Donald Trump posted 14 letters online to countries regarding tariffs to come. The countries will face a tariff of at least 25% come August 1 unless agreements are determined before that date. Countries receiving letters included Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Laos, Myanmar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Tunisia and Thailand.
July 9, 2025
President Donald Trump announced he is considering to impose tariffs, up to 200%, on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. but that it would go into effect in a year or 18 months to give drug makers time to bring manufacturing back into the U.S. Trump also sent letters dictating new U.S. tariff rates on at least seven more countries' imports, including Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Sri Lanka.
In addition Trump announced he's aiming to impose 50% tariffs on imports from Brazil, one of the countries he announced tariffs for the previous day. He also announced a 50% tariff on copper starting August 1.
July 12, 2025
President Trump said he is placing a 30% tariff on European Union and Mexico goods starting August 1. He made the declaration in letters he posted to social media. If the two entities retaliate by raising their tariffs that tariff that level of tariff would then be added on to the 30% tariff Trump stated in the letters.
July 28, 2025
President Donald Trump announced a deal with the EU imposing tariffs of 15% on most goods entering the U..S from Europe. The tariff is half of what the White House administration initially announced to impose.
July 30, 2025
President Donald Trump imposes a 50% tariff on Brazil. It's the highest tariff imposed this year. He imposes a 25% tariff on India and a 15% tariff on South Korea imports – the latter is down from a 25% tariff proposed prior.
July 31, 2025
President Donald Trump won't raise U.S. tariffs on Mexican goods for 90 days as the two countries work out a trade agreement. Trump previously threatened a 30% tariff and earlier a 25% tariff. Trump announced a 39% tariff on Switzerland to start August 7 after a previous threat of 31%.
August 1, 2025
President Donald Trump raised the tariff on imports from Canada to 35% from 25%, effective Friday.
August 4, 2025
President Donald Trump said he would "substantially" increase the 25% tariffs on India as the country is buying and selling oil from Russia.
August 6, 2025
President Donald Trump imposes an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods effective 21 days after August 7. It could increase tariffs on some Indian exports to 50%.
August 11, 2025
President Trump extends a trade truce between the U.S. and China for another three months, until Nov. 10.