White House ‘laser focused’ on affordability as Trump softens tariff strategy
The Trump administration is ramping down tariffs for even more goods as the White House zeroes in on its messaging surrounding affordability — an issue dominating American voters' concerns. The...
By Fox News · Fox News
The Trump administration is ramping down tariffs for even more goods as the White House zeroes in on its messaging surrounding affordability — an issue dominating American voters' concerns. The White House announced Wednesday that tariffs slated to kick in Thursday on furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities would be postponed for another year — a move that comes as President Donald Trump already has scaled back tariffs on imported foods like coffee and bananas. "This indicates that on some level the White House understands that President Trump’s tariffs are driving up consumer prices, and that Trump and the Republican Party are incurring substantial political damage from higher prices," Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, said in an email to Fox News Digital Friday. The White House slapped a 25% tariff on furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities in October. Tariffs on furniture were slated to increase to 30% in January, and tariffs on the cabinets and vanities were set to increase to 50%. WHITE HOUSE TEASES MAJOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PLAN AS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS But now, the current 25% rate will remain for the rest of the year, the White House said in December, due to "productive" negotiations with trade partners to address "trade reciprocity and national security concerns with respect to imports of wood products," according to the White House. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in November that household furnishings increased 4.6% in the past year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics's Consumer Price Index released in December found that consumer costs rose 2.7% in the past year. As a result, Republican strategist Matt Gorman said that he expects the White House to roll out additional initiatives like delaying higher tariffs in 2026. TRUMP TOUTS BRINGING COUNTRY BACK FROM 'BRINK OF RUIN' "The White House is laser-focused on cutting costs for the Am…