Trump Pauses Most Reciprocal Tariffs for 90 Days
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy wanted to provide an update regarding the reciprocal tariffs introduced by the United States. Today the reciprocal tariffs were supposed to go into effect, only to be paused for a majority of the countries. This update serves as a stark contrast to the future envisioned nearly a week ago. Without further ado, let’s go over this update and other considerations.
What Happened?
Today, on April 9, 2025, President Donald Trump authorized a 90 day pause on the recently announced reciprocal tariffs. This pause is accompanied by a lowered reciprocal tariff rate which is to be universally applied. The pause and flat 10% rate are effective immediately and are already in place at time of writing.
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Which Countries are Seeing Tariff Pauses?
This pause applies to over 75 countries who did not take retaliatory action against the United States. After the announcement of the tariffs, many countries reached out to appropriate agencies, entities, and government bodies in the United States to seek a solution. Canada and Mexico continue to be exempt from the 10% baseline tariff due to prior agreements and USMCA.
What About China?
As mentioned above, countries who did not retaliate against the United States tariffs are subject to the pause on reciprocal tariffs. Countries, like China, who retaliated with an 84% reciprocal tariff, are not exempted from the tariffs. In addition to the pause going into effect, the tariff charged to China has increased to 125% effective immediately. This 125% is a significant increase from the initial 34% reciprocal tariff introduced last week.
So, Are Tariffs Still in Place?
Despite the pause, there is still some form of reciprocal tariff in place. As mentioned above, a universal reciprocal tariff of 10% still applies to the countries affected by the 90 day pause. In many cases, this 10% rate is lower or equal to the reciprocal tariff originally charged to these countries. This is to say that some countries like Japan, members of the EU, and Serbia see discounted rates during this pause. Conversely, countries like Brazil and Oman continue to face a 10% rate.
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What Does This Mean For Prices?
Due to the fact that the universal 10% tariff remains in place, there is still an additional cost associated with imported goods. Different companies will respond differently to these tariffs. Some companies may simply absorb the higher cost while others may raise their prices to compensate. Of course, we here at True Shot do not know for sure how each and every company will respond. Only time will tell. One thing for certain is that consumers can expect the price of Chinese goods to increase.
What Does This Mean For Shooters?
As mentioned above, some prices may increase while others remain the same. This has the potential to impact the cost of firearms, ammunition, and other related goods. The biggest impact on price which can potentially be seen by shooters is the price increase on goods imported from China. Companies like
Holosun and
Olight bring their products in from China and are thus subjected to the 125% tariff. Beyond these companies, a majority of shooting equipment like bags, shooting rests, and other accessories are also imported from China.
Conclusion: Ammo Hikes are Unlikely - Increased Prices on Chinese Goods are Likely
At the end of the day, a big takeaway from this update is that high ammo price hikes seem unlikely while price increases on Chinese goods are likely. With this update, shooters are safe from potential price increases on firearm goods and ammo for at least 90 days. During this period, negotiations are likely to take place with the potential to usher in further change.
Of course, nothing is set in stone quite yet. There is still plenty of uncertainty regarding this situation and where things can go from here. With this in mind, it is never a bad idea to stock up on
ammunition or
accessories. At True Shot Ammo, we will continue to monitor the situation and make updates as the situation develops. This is to say that we will keep you informed of relevant changes and updates as we hear about them. As always, happy shooting.
