UPS is destroying packages stuck in Trump’s tariff chaos

Did you order something from abroad last month, but UPS wouldn’t deliver it due to some paperwork issues? Was your package destroyed? We have President Donald Trump to thank for that.

President Trump ended the so-called de minimis exemption on August 29, which previously allowed any package worth $800 or less to enter the United States without incurring special tariffs or fees. The minimum exemption had been in place since the 1930s before Trump repealed it.

Each country now has a different tariff rate, making implementing this new rule an absolute nightmare for shippers. The rules aren’t based on anything logical either; Instead, they are made up based on ridiculous formulas by Trump that make no sense.

All this confusion has led to some people’s packages getting ruined, according to a new report from NBC NewsIn addition to posts on social media platforms such as Reddit and TikTok.

Customers are confused

“Absolutely devastated,” posted one Reddit user who was first told his package had been destroyed r/UPS. “This was a package from parents who sent personalized clothing and a handwritten book to my 90-year-old grandfather.”

In one update, a Reddit user said he received a new message insisting it not be destroyed and will be returned to sender, offering a bit of hope. But this hope was short-lived when, a day later, they received confirmation that he had indeed been eliminated.

It’s a common story. A man in Boston spoke to NBC News He told them about the package he ordered from Japan on September 12, which included Japanese language books, a pillow and a backpack. A few weeks after his package was in Louisville, Kentucky, he received a message from UPS: “We are sorry, your package has not cleared customs and has been removed from the UPS network. Per customs instructions, it has been destroyed. Please contact the sender for more information.”

Even when packages are not destroyed, the fees charged are often ridiculous. One Reddit user Post a screenshot It shows they have an import duty of $769.32 on a $175 order coming from the UK. And again, it’s all thanks to Trump.

Companies are confused

Companies from outside the US post on platforms like TikTok about how their packages are being destroyed, making them less prepared to deal with the hassle of shipping to Americans in the first place. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of consistency when it comes to what is destroyed versus what is sent to its final destination.

Canadian chocolate manufacturer The Organic House published a Tik Tok video The company recently shipped about 27 packages to the United States on September 2. They say two of them were delivered with tariffs and brokerage fees, four were delivered with no tariffs, just brokerage fees, and the rest were just sitting with UPS. According to the video, packages sent to Kentucky were destroyed.

“As a small Canadian business, having these packages destroyed could significantly hurt our revenue,” said small business owner Diana Forder. “One of these packages was a bulk order for $1,000. Not only did we pay to ship this, but now we have to return the money to the customer, and we’re done with the product. I don’t get it, UPS.”

The businessmen were also skeptical that the chocolate had actually been destroyed: “There is absolutely no way this chocolate could have been destroyed. Was $1,000 worth of wholesale chocolate destroyed? Mmm, someone is eating it. I’m pretty convinced that one or many of you are sitting there snacking on chocolate right now.”

Why your package may be destroyed in Kentucky

Louisville appears to be a real bottleneck for UPS, based on chatter on social media, which makes sense given the fact that it is UPS’ largest air hub.

Another TikTok video about an order from South Korea discusses how to destroy a package there. The TikTok user says he paid duty on his $160 order of beauty products, but it was destroyed in Kentucky anyway after it bounced, likely due to a problem with a paperwork declaration.

“They’re getting rid of a $160,000 beauty order that I definitely paid tariffs for, so I don’t know what’s going on. This is clearly 99.9% Trump’s fault with these damn tariffs,” the video He said.

Trump changes tariffs on a dime

Trump first announced his shockingly high tariffs April 2Which he considered “Liberation Day.” While the actual numbers have jumped significantly since then, higher duties have been imposed on goods coming from each country.

Trump has called them “reciprocal” tariffs, but he has hit countries with tariffs that don’t even include any tariffs on American goods. He also imposed tariffs on goods from countries that have a trade deficit with the United States, meaning they buy more from Americans than they sell, which is the crux of Trump’s supposed problem with trade.

Australia, for example, has a trade deficit with the United States, and still imposes a basic 10% tariff on all goods shipped to America. Goods made of steel and aluminum are 50% higher. It’s not just big panels of aluminum either. Do you have a plastic blender with metal parts? This can be multiplied by a tariff.

More goods are being added at random as Trump sees fit, with upholstered wood products, kitchen cabinets and dressing tables recently receiving a 25% tariff set to begin. October 14. So you can see how it might be confusing for a company like UPS to know what tariff to charge based on the country you’re coming from and what type of item it might be.

What actually happens to destroyed packages?

UPS acknowledged the issues with Trump’s new customs hurdles during a phone call with Gizmodo on Friday and sent a statement explaining that “due to changes in US import regulations, we are seeing many packages unable to clear customs due to missing or incomplete information about the shipment required to clear customs.”

UPS says more than 90% of the packages it handles clear customs on the first day. When there are issues, the company says it makes multiple attempts to get the information needed to send the package on its way.

“In cases where we are unable to obtain the information necessary to clear the package, there are two options,” the UPS statement said. “First, the package can be returned to the original carrier at their expense. Second, if the customer does not respond and the package cannot be cleared for delivery, disposal of the shipment is in compliance with US customs regulations. We continue to work to bridge the understanding gap associated with the new requirements, and as always, we remain committed to serving our customers.”

The company did not explain what specifically it does with packages when they are destroyed, noting that it really depends on the type of goods being handled. But the destruction of the goods must be done in front of a US Customs and Border Protection official, suggesting that people aren’t just eating $1,000 worth of chocolate.