Lesotho is expected to face an additional 50% reciprocal tariff in US President Donald Trump’s latest global trade war. (Chip Somodevilla/ Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump’s branded golf shirts are manufactured in Lesotho, which was hit with his 50% import tariff on Wednesday morning.
Labels on Trump-branded Greg Norman shirts show that some were produced in Lesotho, as listings on the US e-commerce site eBay confirm.
READ | ‘Shocked and scared’: US clothing contracts killed as Lesotho faces 50% tariff
The listings show the golf shirts were made for the Australian former professional golf player’s apparel company, which also had some of its shirts manufactured in Lesotho. It is not clear whether the shirts are still being produced in Lesotho; Vietnam is also listed as a manufacturer.
A Trump Gold polo shirt was sold for nearly $30 (R589) on eBay. The shirt indicates that it was made in Lesotho. (Website/ eBay)
Norman is an avid Trump supporter, having previously met with him during his first term in 2018 to discuss border control policies. Speaking to Sky News Australia, Norman praised Trump’s business mindset at the time, calling him a “breath of fresh air”.
A pre-owned Donald Trump-branded Greg Norman golf shirt on sale for almost R500. (Website/ eBay)
A label on a Greg Norman-branded shirt. (Website/ eBay)
From Wednesday, clothing imported from Lesotho to the US will now come with a 50% import tariff — from 0% before, courtesy of duty-free access thanks to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The US government based the 50% tariff on Lesotho’s $237.3-million (more than R4-billion) trade deficit with the US, which is skewed in part by large diamond sales.
Lesotho’s textile-and-garment-making sector, which contributes almost 15% to its GDP, is expected to take the biggest hit, with 15 000 jobs on the line.
Dominated by Taiwanese and Chinese textile manufacturers, the sector has produced clothes for big brands, including Levi’s, Calvin Klein, JC Penney, and Ralph Lauren.
Nearly all (98%) of its apparel products benefitted from AGOA. According to Reuters, $237 million worth of textile products entered the US in 2024.
Trump previously joked to US lawmakers during a speech that he had never heard of Lesotho, which had been receiving US foreign aid.
