BREAKING NEWS: President Trump Tweets Tariffs Back on the Table for $300 Billion in Consumer Goods

August 1, 2019 | As The Toy Association continues to monitor ongoing trade talks between the U.S. and China, President Trump tweeted on Thursday that the U.S. will on September 1 put an additional tariff of 10 percent on the remaining $300 billion dollars of goods imported from China, which will likely include finished toys and all other toy-related items not yet subject to tariffs.

The new tariffs are in addition to the $250 billion in goods that already have a tariff of 25 percent, including some inputs, components, and raw materials for domestic toy production as well as other children’s products like hats, children’s furniture, and bicycles.

The Toy Association has been aggressively advocating against tariffs for more than a year and, as an active member and leader of the Americans for Free Trade coalition, will continue to spread awareness about the negative impact of tariffs on American companies, jobs, and families. The Association will also maintain its education campaign about the negative impacts of tariffs, including its digital resource, DontTaxToys.com.

“Through thousands of hours of advocacy, hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill, multiple bipartisan letters from members of Congress to the Administration asking toys be held harmless from tariffs, a DC fly-in of member companies, and continual messaging through all forms of media, The Toy Association has been clear that tariffs hurt the American toy industry and the American families we exist to serve,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association.

Added Pasierb: “Kindly and constructively providing facts, logic, detailed financial explanations, testimony, and first-hand stories from toy company and retail employers here in the United States apparently still cannot prevail over the power of the tweet. We will continue to advocate on behalf of our members, all in the toy, play and retail communities and the side of right.”

As the issue develops, The Toy Association will continue to keep members and industry stakeholders apprised of developments. Contact Rebecca Mond, vice president of federal affairs at The Toy Association, with questions or feedback on the Association’s advocacy efforts.