Trump Celebrates “Big” Court Win
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President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed a court ruling upholding his administration’s authority to end the “de minimis” trade exemption, a policy that allowed foreign shipments valued at up to $800 to enter the United States duty-free. Trump called the decision a “BIG WIN,” arguing that the exemption had been exploited by tariff evaders, counterfeiters and fentanyl traffickers.
Trump said, “America is now SAFER, our Workers are better protected, and BILLIONS in TARIFF Revenue that used to slip through this loophole can instead help pay for our Great Military, Tax Relief, NO TAX ON TIPS, and NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY.”
BIG WIN today at the U.S. Court of International Trade on one of the most DESPICABLE loopholes in American Trade Policy — The so-called “de minimis” exemption.
For years, Foreign Shippers could send packages worth up to $800 into our Country, DUTY FREE, NO TARIFF, far less scrutiny. It became a giant loophole for TARIFF Cheats — and a Pipeline exploited by Fentanyl Traffickers, Counterfeiters, and other Criminals shipping dangerous and illegal products into America. The numbers were staggering. In 2024 alone, de minimis cost America an estimated 10.8 BILLION DOLLRS in foregone TARIFF Revenue, and an astonishing share of narcotics and counterfeit seizures came through the de minimis channel. So, we CLOSED IT. With the stroke of my mighty pen — NO AUTOPEN!!! — we ended this ridiculous giveaway, and made Foreign Goods play by the rules. The Importers sued. Today, THEY LOST. The Court ruled that the President had the Legal Authority to rescind this so-called “privilege.”
America is now SAFER, our Workers are better protected, and BILLIONS in TARIFF Revenue that used to slip through this loophole can instead help pay for our Great Military, Tax Relief, NO TAX ON TIPS, and NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY. AMERICA FIRST TRADE — AND AMERICA FIRST LAW ENFORCEMENT! President DONALD J. TRUMP
Detroit Axle, a Michigan-based auto-parts distributor, sued the Trump administration in May 2025, arguing that the administration lacked the authority to eliminate the loophole.
Attorneys for the plaintiff, a Michigan-based auto-parts distributor, did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the ruling.
The company, Detroit Axle, had sued the Trump administration in May 2025, more than three months after Trump signed an executive order rescinding the de minimis exemption.
The plaintiff argued that Trump lacked the legal authority to scrap the loophole under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.
Big win!
