Trump just sealed the backdoor that flooded America with cheap Chinese junk and deadly drugs, setting the stage for a showdown with mega-retailers Temu and Shein who’ve been exploiting our trade laws for years.

At a Glance

• Trump signed an executive order closing the “de minimis” loophole that allowed packages under $800 to enter America duty-free from China
• Nearly 1.4 billion Chinese packages entered the US under this exemption in 2024 alone, more than doubling from 636 million in 2020
• The order specifically targets Chinese retailers like Temu and Shein, who will now face tariffs of 30% or up to $50 per item starting June 1
• Chinese shippers used this loophole not just for cheap goods but also to smuggle deadly fentanyl and other synthetic opioids into America

America First: Trump Closes China’s Backdoor to Our Economy

It’s about damn time someone in Washington noticed the billions of suspicious packages flooding into our country from Communist China. President Trump just signed an executive order ending a massive trade loophole that has allowed Chinese companies to ship an endless river of cheap goods directly to American consumers without paying a penny in import duties.

This “de minimis” exemption was originally meant for tourists bringing home souvenirs but has been weaponized by China to wage economic warfare against American manufacturers and, even worse, to smuggle deadly drugs across our borders.

The numbers are staggering: nearly 1.4 billion packages entered the United States under this exemption in 2024 alone, more than double the 636 million in 2020. And guess where 60% of those packages originated? That’s right – China.

Companies like Temu and Shein have built entire business models around exploiting this loophole, shipping direct-to-consumer items valued just under the $800 threshold to avoid tariffs while undercutting American businesses that play by the rules. It’s been economic sabotage happening right under our noses, and finally, someone is doing something about it.

ICYMI O/N

TRADE:

US President Trump announced a new baseline 10% U.S. tariff on goods from all countries from April 5th and higher reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries from April 9th. The EU will be hit with a 20% tariff rate, with 46% for Vietnam, 24% for Japan, 25%…

— trap_zack (@ZackEiseman) April 3, 2025

Fentanyl Crisis: China’s Chemical Warfare Against America

This isn’t just about cheap trinkets and knockoff fashion – it’s about life and death. These Chinese shipments have been a pipeline for deadly fentanyl and other synthetic opioids pouring into American communities. The White House explicitly cited the opioid crisis as a key motivation for closing this loophole, and for good reason. China has been waging chemical warfare against our people under the guise of international commerce, with packages labeled as harmless consumer goods concealing deadly substances that kill tens of thousands of Americans every year.

“A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS”, says President Trump.

Trump’s order also requires shippers to report detailed package information and item values, while empowering U.S. Customs and Border Protection to demand documentation proving their contents and value. Carriers transporting goods from China or Hong Kong must now have an international carrier bond to ensure duty payment.

These common-sense measures will shine a light on the shadowy practices that have allowed dangerous substances to slip past our borders for far too long. Democrats and Republicans alike have recognized this problem – even Representative Rosa DeLauro admitted this loophole has helped “drug traffickers move fentanyl past our borders.”

America’s Manufacturing Renaissance: Making “Made in USA” Matter Again

The left-wing Cato Institute is already whining that eliminating this loophole could cost Americans “$11 billion to $13 billion annually” in higher prices. What they conveniently ignore is the catastrophic cost of destroyed American industries, shuttered factories, and lost jobs. This executive order is about rebalancing a playing field that has been tilted against American workers for decades. When Chinese companies can flood our market with artificially cheap goods manufactured under conditions that would be illegal here, is it any wonder our manufacturing base has collapsed?

According to the Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat of Connecticut: “For too long, this customs loophole has let foreign exporters flood our market with cheap goods and helped drug traffickers move fentanyl past our borders — resulting in factory closures, job losses and deaths.

Starting May 2, packages from China sent outside the international postal network will face all applicable duties, while imports within the network will be taxed at 30% of their value or $25 per item, increasing to $50 starting June 1. Of course, this might mean your $5 trinket from Temu costs a bit more – but what price are we willing to pay for our national security and economic sovereignty? The real question isn’t whether we can afford these tariffs; it’s whether we can afford to continue letting China exploit us while poisoning our citizens and destroying our industrial base. President Trump’s message is clear: America’s markets are for those who play fair, not those who exploit loopholes to undermine our nation.