Tesla and Samsung have formally asked the US Trade Representative not to impose new tariffs on goods from Vietnam. Both companies warn that the tariffs could disrupt supply chains and raise prices for US buyers. The trade investigation is due to end on November 29, just weeks away.
Why two major manufacturers are pushing back
The two companies are not natural allies, however, both rely heavily on Vietnamese production for the US market. In a July 2 filing with the USTR, Tesla said some advanced parts and precision manufacturing equipment are not available in large enough quantities in the US. The company added that this remains the case despite its own investment in local production.
Samsung’s concerns are tied to how much of its US business depends on Vietnam. The South Korean company makes many of the smartphones and network equipment it sells in the US in Vietnam. It has also invested about $25 billion in the country, making it Vietnam’s largest foreign investor.
Other companies are also asking Washington to delay the move. Retailers and footwear and clothing brands that make their products in Vietnam have raised similar concerns according to Firstpost.
The November 29 deadline and what it entails
The objections come as the Trump administration nears the end of a trade investigation into Vietnam. The US opened the Section 301 probe in May over claims that Vietnam failed to protect intellectual property rights. Washington has until November 29 to complete the investigation.
As part of the review, the US placed Vietnam on its “priority foreign country” list, the most serious level of its watchlist for intellectual property violations. It was the first time in 13 years that a country had been added to this particular list.
The US accused Vietnam of failing to address long-standing problems with protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights, Reuters reported . The US is also investigating claims that Vietnam has excess production capacity.
Other industries want tariffs
US businesses are taking a different view to tech companies and retailers over the tariffs issue. Producers of steel, seafood, plywood, solar panels and wood say Vietnam is competing unfairly and are calling for penalties, Firstpost reported.
Software and entertainment groups are also calling for stricter action against piracy in Vietnam. The Business Software Alliance, whose members include Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, said about three-quarters of the software on personal computers in Vietnam was unlicensed, based on a 2017 survey.
The Motion Picture Association also described Vietnam as a major source of online piracy. It added that websites offering unauthorized films and TV shows received more than 12.5 billion visits in 2025.
Trade between the US and Vietnam has also grown. Vietnamese exports to the US rose 42% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Vietnam also became the US’s largest source of goods trade deficit, ahead of China and Mexico, Firstpost reported.
Where current tariff rates stand
Vietnam currently faces a 12.5 percent US tariff introduced in July after an investigation into goods allegedly made using forced labor, The News reported . The US Supreme Court later overturned the 20 percent tariff earlier introduced under Trump’s “Liberation Day” measures.
Many economists believe the latest move is an attempt to bring the tariffs back to levels closer to what the court had previously overturned.
For Tesla and Samsung, the November 29 decision is primed to affect the cost of shipping products made in Vietnam to the US.
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