Have you ordered something from overseas in the past month, but UPS won’t deliver it because of some paperwork issue? Has your package even been destroyed? You have President Donald Trump to thank for that.
President Trump ended what’s called the de minimis exemption on Aug. 29, which had previously allowed any package worth $800 or less to come into the U.S. without incurring special tariffs or fees. The de minimis exemption had been in place since the 1930s before Trump abolished it.
Each country now has a different tariff rate, making the implementation of this new rule an absolute nightmare for shipping companies. The rules aren’t based on anything logical either; instead, they’re being concocted based on absurd formulas by Trump that don’t make any sense.
And all of this confusion has been leading to some people having their packages destroyed, according to a new report from NBC News, as well as posts on social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok.
Customers are confused
“Completely heartbroken,” one Reddit user who was first told their package was destroyed posted to r/UPS. “This was a package from parents who sent personal clothing items and my 90 year old grandfather’s handwritten book.”
In an update, the Reddit user said they got a new message that insisted it wasn’t destroyed and would be returned to the sender, offering a bit of hope. But that hope was short-lived when, a day later, they got confirmation it had indeed been disposed of.
It’s a common story. A man in Boston spoke with NBC News and told them about a package he ordered from Japan on Sept. 12, which included Japanese language books, a pillow, and a backpack. After a couple of weeks of his package sitting in Louisville, Kentucky, he received a message from UPS: “We’re sorry, your package did not clear customs and has been removed from the UPS network. Per customs guidelines, it has been destroyed. Please contact the sender for more information.”
Even when packages aren’t destroyed, the fees that are being charged are often ridiculous. One Reddit user posted a screenshot showing they had an import fee of $769.32 on an order of $175 coming from the United Kingdom. Again, it’s all thanks to Trump.
Businesses are confused
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