White House ordered release of detained Chinese vapes after appeals from Trump adviser, report says
Summary
- The White House ordered federal officials in late summer 2026 to release tens of millions of dollars worth of detained illegal Chinese vapes into the US market.
- Trump adviser Chris LaCivita and his son are reported to be helping a Geek Bar importer capitalize on the administration's loosened tobacco regulations.
- Selling unauthorized tobacco products is illegal in the United States.
- Earlier in 2026 the Trump administration created a carve-out declining to enforce the law against certain unauthorized vapes.
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wsj.com· 19h
The Wall Street Journal reports that, per people familiar with the matter, the White House ordered federal officials in late summer 2026 to release tens of millions of dollars worth of detained Chinese vapes after conversations with Trump adviser Chris LaCivita and his son, whom the article says are helping a Geek Bar importer capitalize on loosened tobacco regulations. It is illegal to sell unauthorized tobacco products in the U.S., and the administration earlier in 2026 created a carve-out declining to enforce the law against certain unauthorized vapes.
