Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are threatening Independence Day fireworks [View all]
Source: NBC News
May 1, 2025, 5:00 AM EDT / Updated May 1, 2025, 8:43 AM EDT
President Donald Trumps massive China tariffs are jeopardizing American fireworks shows, threatening to drive up prices and limit supplies.
U.S. fireworks wholesalers and distributors say theyve been canceling shipments from China for this years July Fourth holiday. Some are also halting manufacturing in China of fireworks for next years celebrations of the 250th anniversary of Americas independence. Trumps April 2 tariff rollout, which he dubbed Liberation Day, raised the effective import tax rate on nearly all Chinese goods to 145%, even after he walked back much of the other sweeping duties days later.
Last months chaotic trade policy swings occurred just as U.S. fireworks companies were preparing to receive their last July Fourth shipments from China, which makes around 75% of fireworks used in professional shows and 99% of consumer fireworks used in the United States, according to the National Fireworks Association. The companies say that the tariffs are too steep to absorb and that hiking prices on customers to offset them would make their products unaffordable.
Theres definitely a lot of urgency here for our industry, and its a very, very serious situation, said Michael Ingram, CEO of Fireworks Over America, a Missouri-based distributor. It would be a shame to have the skies go dark on the Fourth of July.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-are-threatening-independence-day-firewor-rcna203659