Amendments to Adjusting Imports of Timber, Lumber, and their Derivative Products into the United States
This Presidential Proclamation amends a previous order, Proclamation 10976, which imposed initial tariffs on specific wood products based on a Section 232 national security investigation.
Finding that ongoing negotiations with foreign partners remain productive, the President delays the scheduled increase of certain tariffs—specifically for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities—from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027, contingent upon the progress of these agreements.
The proclamation reaffirms the existing initial tariffs and reaffirms the authority of the U.S. Trade Representative to continue pursuing agreements to ensure that wood product imports no longer threaten U.S. national security.
Arguments For
The action supports ongoing international negotiations aimed at securing agreements that address national security concerns related to wood product imports, suggesting a diplomatic approach is currently more productive.
Delaying scheduled tariff increases provides stability for both domestic and international trading partners while negotiations are active, potentially leading to more comprehensive long-term trade arrangements.
Maintaining the existing tariffs ensures that wood product imports continue to be adjusted, addressing the national security threat identified under Section 232 while diplomatic efforts proceed.
The proclamation asserts the President's authority under Section 232 to adjust import levels over time through a combination of tariffs and negotiated agreements, indicating flexibility in managing strategic trade issues.
Arguments Against
Postponing scheduled tariff hikes may reduce immediate leverage in trade negotiations, potentially prolonging the resolution of the national security threat identified by the Secretary of Commerce.
The continuation of existing tariffs, while delaying further increases, still maintains trade barriers that could negatively impact industries dependent on imported wood products or increase costs for domestic consumers.
Critics might argue that an extension of tariff uncertainty hampers long-term business planning and investment decisions both domestically and abroad.
Relying heavily on negotiations may be viewed as prioritizing international diplomatic relations over immediate, decisive action to protect national security through established trade regulation mechanisms.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
This text formally introduces the document as a Proclamation issued by the President of the United States, signifying the exercise of presidential authority.
1. On July 1, 2025, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) transmitted to me a report on his investigation into the effects of imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products (collectively, wood products) on the national security of the United States under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1862 (section 232). Based on the facts considered in that investigation, the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that wood products are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States and provided recommendations for action under section 232 to adjust the imports of wood products so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security of the United States.
This section references a July 1, 2025, report from the Secretary of Commerce.
The report utilized Section 232 authority to investigate whether imported wood products potentially damage U.S. national security.
The Secretary concluded that import volumes and circumstances did threaten this security and offered actions to remedy the situation.
2. In Proclamation 10976 of September 29, 2025 (Adjusting Imports of Timber, Lumber, and Their Derivative Products Into the United States), I concurred in the Secretary’s finding that wood products are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States and adopted a plan of action to adjust the imports of wood products so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security of the United States.
The document refers to Proclamation 10976, issued on September 29, 2025.
In that prior proclamation, the President agreed with the Commerce Secretary's finding about the threat to national security posed by wood product imports and established a plan to adjust those imports accordingly.
3. In Proclamation 10976, I directed the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative), in consultation with the Secretary and any senior official the Trade Representative deemed appropriate, to pursue negotiations of agreements or continue current negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imported wood products from any country and from time to time update me on the status or outcome of those negotiations. I also imposed a 10 percent ad valorem tariff on imports of certain softwood timber and lumber and a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on imports of certain upholstered wooden products, kitchen cabinets, and vanities. I further stated that on January 1, 2026, the duty rate for upholstered furniture would increase from 25 percent to 30 percent and the duty rate for kitchen cabinets and vanities would increase from 25 percent to 50 percent except for countries with which the United States reached an agreement that addresses the threatened impairment of the national security posed by imports of wood products.
Proclamation 10976 assigned the Trade Representative the task of negotiating agreements with countries regarding wood product imports impacting national security, requiring periodic updates to the President.
Trade measures imposed included a 10 percent tariff on certain softwood timber/lumber and a 25 percent tariff on certain upholstered wood products, kitchen cabinets, and vanities.
Furthermore, the proclamation set a scheduled increase for January 1, 2026: the tariff on upholstered furniture would rise to 30 percent, and tariffs on kitchen cabinets and vanities would rise to 50 percent, unless an agreement had been reached with the exporting country addressing the national security risk.
4. The Trade Representative has informed me that the United States continues to engage in productive negotiations of agreements with multiple countries to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imports of wood products. After considering the information the Trade Representative has provided me, among other things, I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to continue these negotiations and to delay for an additional year the increase in the duty rates for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities. In my judgment, the action in this proclamation will result in more productive negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment to the national security found in Proclamation 10976, while the tariffs imposed in Proclamation 10976 will continue to adjust the imports of wood products and address the threat to impair the national security found in Proclamation 10976.
The President notes that negotiations with several countries regarding wood product trade security are proving fruitful.
Based on this input, the President determines it is best to extend these negotiations for another year, thereby postponing the tariff increases scheduled for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities.
The existing tariffs from Proclamation 10976 will remain in place to continue managing import levels while negotiations are ongoing.
5. Section 232 authorizes the President to take action to adjust the imports of an article and its derivatives that are being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security. Section 232 includes the authority to adopt and carry out a plan of action, with adjustments over time, to address the national security threat. That initial plan of action may include negotiations of agreements with foreign trading partners along with other actions to adjust imports to address the national security threat, including tariffs.
This paragraph cites the statutory basis for the actions taken, which is Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
This section grants the President the power to adjust imports that threaten national security.
This authority allows for developing adaptive action plans over time, which can combine trade negotiations with measures such as imposing tariffs.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 232, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, do hereby proclaim as follows:
This is the enacting clause, stating that Donald J. Trump, acting under the authority granted by the U.S. Constitution, relevant laws like Section 232, and Section 301 of Title 3 of the U.S. Code, issues the following proclamations.
(1) Proclamation 10976 is amended by revising clause 5 to read as follows:
“(5) The rates of duty established in this proclamation shall apply with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 14, 2025. Effective January 1, 2027, the duty rate in clause 2 shall increase to 30 percent and the duty rate in clause 3 shall increase to 50 percent, and shall continue in effect, except for countries with which the United States reaches an agreement that addresses the threatened impairment of the national security posed by imports of wood products. Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, the tariffs imposed in this proclamation are in addition to any other duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported wood products.”
This section directly amends Clause 5 of Proclamation 10976.
It sets the initial tariff rates to apply starting October 14, 2025.
Crucially, it changes the date for the scheduled tariff increases to January 1, 2027, when certain duties will rise to 30 percent and 50 percent, respectively, unless trade agreements exempt the country.
These tariffs are stated to be additional to any other applicable customs charges.
(2) The Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary and any senior official the Trade Representative deems appropriate, shall pursue negotiations of agreements or continue current negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imported wood products from any country. The Trade Representative shall, from time to time, update me on the status or outcome of the negotiations described in Proclamation 10976 and this proclamation. The Trade Representative shall provide one of these updates shortly before the date that is 180 days after the date of Proclamation 10976.
The Trade Representative must continue negotiating agreements, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, aimed at resolving the national security threat from wood product imports.
The Trade Representative is tasked with periodically informing the President about the progress of these negotiations, including providing an update 180 days after the original Proclamation 10976 was issued.
(3) Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency. If any provision of this proclamation or the application of any provision to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.
This clause invalidates any prior presidential actions or orders that conflict with the directives established in this new proclamation to the extent of the contradiction.
It also includes a severability clause, meaning that if any specific part of the proclamation is legally overturned, the rest of the document remains valid and enforceable across all other applicable situations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
DONALD J. TRUMP
This standard closing section certifies the signing of the Proclamation by President Donald J. Trump on December 31, 2025, marking approximately 250 years since U.S. Independence.