Trump plans big fees to bring medicine-making back home.
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President Trump declared his intentions to implement substantial tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals during his speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday evening. The move aims to compel pharmaceutical companies to relocate their manufacturing operations back to American soil.
The pharmaceutical industry has long pursued cost-cutting measures by moving operations overseas, a practice that has adversely affected American families. Trump’s strategic tariff proposal targets these companies’ reliance on the U.S. market for their profits, essentially forcing them to return manufacturing to domestic soil and reduce dependence on foreign nations, particularly China.
“We’re going to do something that we have to do: we’re going to tariff our pharmaceuticals. And once we do that, they’re going to come rushing back into our country, because we’re the big market. The advantage we have over everybody is that we’re the big market.
Donald Trump has announced a “major tariff” coming soon on pharmaceuticals in an attempt to bring pharma companies back to U.S.
Healthcare will become expensive for masses and it will throw inflation out of the roof.
Germany is the biggest exporter of pharmaceuticals to the USA… pic.twitter.com/uKilDXYdRz
— Neetu Khandelwal (@T_Investor_) April 9, 2025
So, we’re going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals. And when they hear that, they will leave China. They will leave other places, because they have to sell — most of their product is sold here — and they’re going to be opening up their plants all over the place in our country.
We’re going to be announcing that. So, that’s breaking news.
That’s what’s going to happen. What other presidents allowed China to get away with is absolutely criminal. But I’m not like the other presidents — and it’s not going to happen under President Trump. It’s just not going to happen.”
Trump "Crushes" Big Pharma with tariff threat — Pfizer loses $5 billion in marcap.
Background is we import 32% of pharmaceuticals because other countries force pharma to produce in their countries to get access to their markets.
Meanwhile, Americans pay the highest pharma… pic.twitter.com/4K45hIvWFM
— Peter St Onge, Ph.D. (@profstonge) April 9, 2025
While pharmaceuticals were excluded from Trump’s recent round of reciprocal tariffs, as reported by USA Today, the administration has been signaling this targeted approach for several months. In a February discussion with reporters, Trump suggested initial tariff rates could begin at 25% with potential for increases.
During the dinner, Trump also expressed confidence about the impact of tariffs on upcoming political contests. “We’re going to win the midterm elections and we’re going to have a tremendous, thundering landslide, I really believe that . . . and I really think we’re helped a lot by the tariff situation that’s going on,” Trump said. “Which is a good situation, not a bad, it’s great. It’s going to be legendary, you watch. Legendary in a positive way.”
Despite concerns about potential market volatility and economic implications that could affect Republican prospects, Trump remains steadfast in his approach to reshaping pharmaceutical manufacturing in America.
