It appears the 'holiday rush' is responsible for delaying Trump's China tariffs


Think of the tariffs as a New Year's resolution.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Tuesday that a 10 percent tariff floated by the president on Twitter earlier this month and scheduled for Sept. 1 for nearly $300 billion in goods imported from China will be delayed for certain products until Dec. 15.
Among the articles that will have a chance to breathe are cell phones, laptop computers, computer monitors, video game consoles, certain toys, and certain items of footwear and clothing. Those all could fall under the description of "holiday gifts," which has analysts making the case that the White House is waiting for the winter rush to pass before really diving into protectionism. Other goods will be subject to the tariff on Sept. 1, as planned.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The announcement has also drawn some eye rolls since it appears to contradict President Trump's message that China, not U.S. companies and, subsequently, consumers would be footing the bill for the tariffs.
The U.S. and China are mired in a trade war, which both sides maintain they hope to settle before too long.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
How often should you check your credit report?
The explainer Contrary to what you might expect, your credit report does not contain your credit score. But it does offer a lot of other valuable information.
-
Sick 9/11 responders are being left behind amid federal spending battle
The Explainer Services have been cut and restored following outcry, but staffing issues remain
-
TV to watch in May, including 'The Four Seasons' and 'Duster'
The Week Recommends A comedy from Tina Fey, a '70s crime thriller from J.J. Abrams and an adaptation from the pages of Judy Blume
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns