President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the United States’ “de minimis” tariff exemption, ending duty-free treatment for commercial imports valued at US$800 or less. The move, announced by the White House on Wednesday, applies to shipments from all trading partners and takes effect on Aug. 29. Packages entering the country outside the international postal network will face all existing duties. Postal shipments will be charged either an ad valorem levy equal to the tariff rate set under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or, for a six-month transition, a specific duty of US$80 to US$200 per item. Long-standing allowances for U.S. travelers bringing back up to US$200 in personal items and for gifts worth US$100 or less remain unchanged. The administration said the change closes a loophole that has allowed counterfeit goods and synthetic opioids to enter the United States while undercutting domestic businesses. According to a White House fact sheet, de minimis parcels climbed to more than 1.36 billion in 2024, and 90% of all cargo seizures last fiscal year involved such shipments. Retailers that rely on direct-to-consumer cross-border sales, including fast-fashion platforms Shein and Temu, are expected to face higher costs once the exemption ends. The order accelerates the timetable set in this month’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would have repealed the exemption in 2027.