Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are threatening Independence Day fireworks

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

May 1, 2025, 5:00 AM EDT / Updated May 1, 2025, 8:43 AM EDT


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.

“There’s definitely a lot of urgency here for our industry, and it’s 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

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[EYESORE 9001]

1. I got my popcorn ready too

Except I won’t be watching closely because lots of FAFO types will be making improvised pyrotechnics.

[LiberalArkie]

2. I heard the sticks of TNT work well and have a very large bang

[Initech]

6. TNT!!!

[Javaman]

3. uh oh, can't blow stuff up? that will certainly anger the maga's. maga anger LOL nt

[FredGarvin]

4. Good

My neighborhood is like a battle zone on the 4th. My poor dog suffers badly with all the explosions.

Fireworks are out of control.

[Unwind Your Mind]

5. I'm with you

And it’s illegal in my city but still goes on

I’ve found hemp oil, music or TV and multiple fans running help my poor little girl

[SunSeeker]

8. Same. Illegal in my city too but the MAGAts went nuts with fireworks on Nov. 5 and again on New Year's.

They were so sure Trump was going to bring them sudden prosperity in 2025.

[PhilG]

11. Tariffs Are Good?

OK, maybe not good, but maybe a good point? I live in a small town in a state where fireworks are illegal. BUT, the explosions start about a week before New Years and the 4th. Continue on for days afterward and as far as I know nobody here has ever been ticketed for it. Some big ones too that rattle the windows. So maybe tariffs aren't all bad


p.s. - Love your name Fred. Had to go to Youtube to watch a couple of old SNL clips.

[Journeyman]

7. So we'll probably have more illegal fireworks to fill the gap . . .

at least, it's what I expect will happen in my neighborhood. Too close to the border, and lots of smuggling coming in from Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and the like. Yeah, he’ll screw the pooch for the legal displays and drive it underground to fill the skies. ETTD.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. DHS is now bulked up at the borders

and will be looking for "contraband" ( "illegals", "drugs", anything trying to evade the tariffs - they were actually going after "egg smugglers" too).

Texas customs officers scramble plans, stop at least 90 from smuggling eggs into the US

(and many of these weren't daytrippers or tourists - they were actually larger smugglers)

[Lulu KC]

9. This might actually lose some votes for him!

The MAGA people I know are big into the fireworks.

[sdfernando]

12. Unless the orangehellbest is dead I won't be celebrating at all! /nt