Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are threatening July 4th fireworks

President Donald Trump’s massive China tariffs are jeopardizing American fireworks shows, threatening to drive up prices and limit supplies.

President Donald Trump’s massive China tariffs are jeopardizing American fireworks shows, threatening to drive up prices and limit supplies.

U.S. fireworks wholesalers and distributors say they’ve been canceling shipments from China for this year’s July Fourth holiday. Some are also halting manufacturing in China of fireworks for next year’s celebrations of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. Trump’s 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 month’s 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.

It’s a very, very serious situation. It would be a shame to have the skies go dark on the Fourth of July.

Michael Ingram, CEO, Fireworks Over America, Missouri