A Latin term that’s been little-known outside the world of customs brokers has suddenly become the stuff of headlines. Along with imposing new 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports as of Feb. 4, US President Donald Trump suspended his country’s special rules for “de minimis” merchandise from China and Hong Kong.

Friday saw the president reopen the floodgates for millions of duty-free shipments from e-commerce firms like Shein and Temu.

The trade loophole is meant to ease small-scale sales — but critics say it's been abused and gives Chinese firms an unfair advantage.

President Trump signed an executive order this week that temporarily prevents low-cost packages from China from being slapped with his new tariffs. The move delays the suspension of the de minimis

Trump's new tariffs suspend China's de minimis exemption, blocking duty-free shipments under $800 - a move aimed at curbing fentanyl inflows and impacting Chinese e-commerce firms

Duty-free treatment for sub-$800 products will end again once systems are put in place to collect tariff revenue more effectively, per the White House.

U.S. President Donald Trump this week shut a trade loophole that has been used to ship low-value packages duty-free from China, the "de minimis" exemption on import tariffs. Trump's halt to Section 321 de minimis is part of his implementation of an additional 10% tariff on China and 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico,

This chart shows countries applying a "de minimis" exception of taxes and/or duties* for incoming shipments of smaller value.