Administration launches investigation, with decision expected in 50 days as industry faces mounting challenges.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration has begun a tariff investigation into imported furniture, a move that could lead to new duties on a wide range of consumer products for the home.
“I am pleased to announce that we are doing a major Tariff Investigation on Furniture coming into the United States,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined. This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan and States all across the Union.”
Market reaction to the announcement was mixed and highly dependent on where companies have their manufacturing operations.
Shares of furniture and home goods retailers with major import operations — including Wayfair, RH and Williams-Sonoma — fell in after-hours trading, CNBC reported. All three retailers rely heavily on imports, but RH and Williams-Sonoma report that they have been working to broaden their supply chains. La-Z-Boy, which does much of its manufacturing in the U.S., saw its shares rise.
It is not yet clear whether furniture tariffs would be applied on top of existing country-specific duties.
Any new tariffs would come at a challenging time for the furniture industry, which has faced slowing demand for more than a year. Weaker housing activity and persistent inflation have left many consumers holding back on big-ticket purchases.
While some domestic furniture manufacturers have reported increased sales volume as tariff pressures mount, others have seen significant impacts on costs for raw materials, especially components like drawer guides and handles.
Howard Miller, a family-owned clock and furniture maker with nearly a century-long history, said it will wind down operations and close its manufacturing plants by early next year. The company cited tariffs, inflation and a weak housing market among the factors driving its decision. About 195 jobs will be lost across Michigan, where it is based, and North Carolina, where the company operates two facilities in High Point and Lexington. The closures in North Carolina — 39 jobs in total — are part of the broader wind down and were disclosed in an Aug. 13 WARN Act notice filed with the state.
