Trump: Tariffs will return furniture industry boom days to North Carolina

(The Center Square) – Since the first Southern Furniture Market in 1909, High Point in the Triad of North Carolina has long been recognized as the Furniture Capital of the World.

Until China invaded. Even the renowned hotelier Trump did business with them.

Through tariffs, second-term Republican President Donald Trump said in this National Small Business Week 2026, “We’re going to bring all the furniture back to North Carolina, and you’re going to see it’ll be as robust as it was 25, 30 years ago.”

Speaking Monday in the East Room of the White House, the 79-year-old gave his explanation for what he encountered as a private businessman and what he’s hopeful to do now leading from the Oval Office.

“We used to have a great furniture business,” Trump said. “I built a lot of hotels and a lot of different buildings where I need furniture. I would go to North Carolina. These were great artists. And China essentially put them out of business because we never – we didn’t have a president that w...