WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced on July 21, 2026, that the United States will apply a 100 percent tariff on all imported generic drugs beginning in August 2028, following a two-year transition period with a zero tariff. After one year at 100 percent, the levy is scheduled to rise to 200 percent. The administration says the policy is intended to reshore generic drug manufacturing, which supplies most prescriptions in the United States, by encouraging companies to build domestic production facilities. The move expands an April 2026 Section 232 national security proclamation that had imposed tariffs on branded pharmaceuticals but initially exempted generics.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.