You’ve probably heard a dozen different dates for when the "trade war" kicked off. Some people point to the campaign trail in 2016, while others think it didn't really get real until the China stuff hit the news in late 2018. If you're trying to figure out when did trump tariffs begin, the answer isn't just one single morning—it was more like a rolling wave that started with a few appliances and ended up hitting almost everything in your shopping cart.
Honestly, it all officially began on January 23, 2018.
That was the day the first major "safeguard" tariffs were signed into law. They didn't target a specific country at first; instead, they went after products: solar panels and washing machines. If you were looking to upgrade your laundry room or go green that year, you might have noticed the prices jumping almost immediately.
The 2018 Kickoff: Washers, Solar, and Steel
Most people forget about the washing machines. They focus on the big geopolitical drama with China. But those early 2018 moves were the "canary in the coal mine."
The administration used something called Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974. Basically, this law lets a president slap taxes on imports if a US industry is getting crushed by a sudden surge of foreign goods.
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Shortly after the washers, things got much heavier. In March 2018, the focus shifted to national security. Using Section 232, the administration imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum. This wasn't just about China; it hit our allies too, including Canada, Mexico, and the European Union.
Imagine the chaos at the borders. Truckloads of steel were literally being re-evaluated at the gates. It wasn't until much later, in May 2019, that Canada and Mexico finally got a hall pass on these specific metal taxes.
When the China Trade War Went Nuclear
If 2018 was the spark, the summer of that year was the explosion. This is where Section 301 comes in.
On July 6, 2018, the US officially began taxing $34 billion worth of Chinese imports at a 25% rate. China didn't just sit there; they retaliated the same day. This was the true birth of the "tit-for-tat" cycle. By the time 2019 rolled around, we were talking about hundreds of billions of dollars in goods—electronics, clothing, furniture, you name it.
A Quick Breakdown of the 2018–2019 Wave:
- Jan 2018: Solar panels (30%) and Washers (20%).
- March 2018: Global Steel (25%) and Aluminum (10%).
- July 2018: The first $34 billion "List 1" of Chinese goods.
- August 2018: Another $16 billion of Chinese tech and chemicals.
- September 2018: A massive $200 billion list of consumer products (initially at 10%).
- May 2019: That 10% rate on the $200 billion list jumped to 25% because trade talks hit a wall.
The "Second Wave" in 2025: A Whole New Ballgame
Fast forward to the more recent past. If you thought the first term was aggressive, the second term—which we are living through right now in early 2026—took it to a level economists call "unprecedented."
In January 2025, right after the inauguration, the administration didn't wait. They immediately threatened 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting February 1, specifically linking trade to border security and drug trafficking.
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By April 2, 2025, the game changed again. The administration claimed authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose what they called "reciprocal tariffs." This basically means if a country taxes our stuff at 15%, we tax theirs at 15%.
This led to the average effective tariff rate in the US soaring from a measly 2.5% in late 2024 to nearly 27% by April 2025. It was the highest level in over a century. We’re talking about a massive tax on almost everything coming across the border. While a stock market crash in early 2025 caused some of these to be "paused" or "delayed," many were eventually implemented by August 7, 2025.
Does It Actually Work? The Real-World Impact
Kinda depends on who you ask.
If you talk to the folks at the Yale Budget Lab, they’ll tell you the 2025 tariffs effectively acted as a $3,800 tax on the average American household. Prices for toys, clothing, and especially copper (which hit record highs in late 2025) have been through the roof.
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On the flip side, the administration points to the $300 billion in revenue brought in during 2025—up from about $80 billion the year before. They argue this is "bringing jobs back" and forcing other countries to the negotiating table. For example, the trade deficit actually shrunk by nearly 40% in October 2025.
But it’s messy. U.S. farmers have been hit hard by retaliatory taxes on soybeans and pork, leading to another round of government bailouts. It's a "win-some, lose-some" situation that hasn't really settled down yet.
What You Should Do Now
The landscape is shifting literally every week. As of January 2026, we are still waiting on a massive Supreme Court ruling in the case Learning Resources v. Trump, which will decide if the President even has the legal right to use emergency powers to set these wide-ranging taxes.
Here is how you can protect your wallet or business:
- Audit your supply chain: If you buy parts or products from Chile (copper), China (electronics), or Mexico (autos), expect price volatility to continue through mid-2026.
- Watch the Supreme Court: A ruling against the IEEPA tariffs could cause prices to drop almost overnight. If they uphold it, the 25% "reciprocal" baseline is likely here to stay.
- Lock in contracts: If you’re a business owner, try to secure long-term pricing now. With the average tariff rate sitting at roughly 16.8% as of late 2025, the "wait and see" approach might cost you more if new lists are added in February.
The trade war didn't just "begin" and "end." It’s an evolving policy that has fundamentally changed how much you pay for a beer (thanks to the aluminum can tax) and how much your next car will cost. Stay informed, because the rules of the game are still being written.