Trump Follows Baldwin’s Lead to Crack Down on China, Close Trade Loophole for Fentanyl, Counterfeit Goods

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his administration will close a trade loophole for China and Hong Kong that allows illegal substances and counterfeit goods to enter the country, a fix that she has championed for years. Currently, small-dollar imports with a value of less than $800 are allowed into the U.S. duty-free and with little customs scrutiny. However, this loophole has been abused by countries like China that are sending hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of products into the U.S. market, undermining U.S. manufacturers and retailers, and letting illicit substances into our communities. Senator Baldwin has led on this issue, introducing the bipartisan De Minimis Reciprocity Act in 2023 to close this loophole by excluding countries like China from using the de minimis channel.

“There is a whole lot of Donald Trump’s reckless trade policy that is wrong and will only jack up costs for working families, but on this, President Trump and I agree. I am glad the President is following my lead to close this loophole that undercuts our Wisconsin manufacturers and allows deadly drugs onto our streets,” said Senator Baldwin. “I have fought to close this loophole for years to keep our families safe and stand up for Wisconsin workers, and I’ll continue to push Donald Trump to tackle the fentanyl epidemic, level the playing field for our businesses, and give Wisconsin workers a fair shot.”

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), more than 1.36 billion packages came into the U.S. under the de minimis rule that lacks customs scrutiny in Fiscal Year 2024.

Senator Baldwin has long championed closing or amending the de minimis loophole to protect Wisconsin families and businesses. Senators Baldwin and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lead the De Minimis Reciprocity Act to close the de minimis loophole by excluding untrustworthy countries like China from using the de minimis channel. The bipartisan legislation would also require more information on every package entering the U.S. and use the revenue proceeds to establish a fund for reshoring industry from China. Senator Baldwin also leads the Ensure Accountability in the De Minimis Act with former Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), bipartisan legislation to give clarity for what kind of small-dollar products and packages can enter the country through the expedited process that has minimal customs scrutiny.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.