NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As the U.S. government implements a new wave of tariffs, officials confirm that Chinese-made electronics — including iPhones — are not part of the latest 125% import tax.
However, they remain subject to an existing 20% tariff tied to efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the country. Authorities also note that additional national security-related tariffs may still apply to some tech items.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is weighing a temporary pause on auto tariffs, which currently stand at 25% for foreign-made vehicles. The potential move aims to give car manufacturers time to adjust their supply chains and possibly bring more operations stateside.
“Some of the car companies are switching to parts made in Canada, Mexico, and other places. They just need a little time,” President Donald Trump said, hinting at support for measures that could help manufacturers transition to U.S.-based production. “They're going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time.”
Auto industry experts warn that without relief, the steep tariff on imported vehicles could drive up prices by several thousand dollars, placing additional financial strain on American consumers.
Back home, the impact of tariffs is also being felt in a surprising place: affordable housing. In cities like Nashville, where demand for affordable homes is high, the rising cost of imported building materials could slow — or even halt — development.
Marshall Crawford, president and CEO of The Housing Fund, a Nashville-based nonprofit, said rising construction costs are compounding existing challenges like inflation, interest rates, and labor shortages.
“It’s definitely going to impact the cost of building affordable housing,” Crawford said, standing in front of Owens Place on Laurel — a mixed-use, low-income housing project with 48 units above and commercial space below.
The Housing Fund has spent more than three decades helping families across Tennessee afford homes by offering down payment assistance, closing cost support, and capital to developers focused on affordable housing.
“We started off in just Nashville. Now, we serve the entire state of Tennessee,” Crawford said.
The issue is far-reaching. According to the National Association of Home Builders, approximately $204 billion in goods were used for residential construction in 2024 — with about $14 billion of those materials imported from outside the U.S. That means 7% of the materials essential to new home construction are at risk of becoming more expensive under new tariffs.
“Materials — I mean lumber, steel. But even nails, hammers, all the basic things needed to build — all of that is going to increase significantly,” Crawford said.
With tariffs on Canadian lumber also on the rise, experts worry that building affordable housing may soon become financially unviable just as the need for it grows ever more urgent.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at kelsey.gibbs@Newschannel5.com.
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