Trump is Scrapping a Trade Policy That Has Helped E-Commerce and Shipping Companies

“It probably means the price of dolls will go up,” Republican Rep. Don Bacon said.

View of shipping containers at a shipping port in New Jersey.
Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via AP

President Donald Trump is sidestepping Congress to change trade policy — first with his global tariffs, and now with a different move that could push prices higher and slow hundreds of millions of small shipments on their way into the United States.

Trump plans to end a decade-old exemption from customs duties for shipments valued under $800, which has allowed Americans to easily purchase cheap items from other countries and receive them in a few days, or even faster.

Many members of Congress actually agree with the change, in theory.