Trump Imposes Harsh New Tariffs on Countries Without U.S. Trade Agreements

Former President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping new wave of tariffs targeting countries that have yet to sign trade deals with the United States. These “reciprocal” tariffs, some reaching as high as 60–70%, will begin rolling out Friday, marking a sharp escalation in his administration’s trade policy.

Speaking after a late-night event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Trump revealed that his team will start sending official notices to foreign governments. “We’re kicking things off on [Friday]—expect around 10 to 12 countries to get letters,” he told reporters, according to the New York Post.

He indicated the rollout would wrap up by July 9, with tariffs ranging from 10% to a steep 70%, depending on each country’s trade relationship with the U.S. These figures exceed those outlined in Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day” policy, which had set a new minimum tariff rate of 10%, tripling previous levels.

Previously announced tariffs had already placed severe duties on countries with notable trade surpluses against the U.S.—Cambodia (49%), Laos (48%), and Madagascar (47%) among them. But Trump hinted that this new round would be even tougher.

“We’ve finalized the format,” Trump said of the letters. “They’ll specify what each country is expected to pay. It’s a big number, but we’re giving them a chance to make a deal. We don’t want to be unreasonable.”

The former president said his administration plans to send up to a dozen letters daily until a self-imposed Wednesday deadline. Countries that don’t respond favorably will face tariffs taking effect on August 1, with the funds beginning to flow into U.S. coffers that same day.

While he didn’t name which countries will be hit with the highest rates, Trump’s more aggressive tone comes as recent economic indicators show strength. U.S. job growth in June beat forecasts, inflation remains close to the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, and markets have surged to record highs.

Despite the economic optimism, critics warn that these tariffs could significantly raise prices for imported consumer goods, affecting American households.

Trump has already made progress with a few nations, securing early-stage trade deals with China, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. India has agreed to a “roadmap” deal, while Taiwan and Israel have offered notable trade concessions. Still, key U.S. allies like Japan and the European Union remain outside these agreements and are now facing elevated tariffs.

Japan is already contending with a 24% tariff, and the EU could see rates spike to 50%, more than double the initial proposal. The increase is partly in response to the bloc’s proposed digital tax on major American tech companies, which Trump strongly opposes.

Three partial agreements have been announced to soften the blow of the new policy:

• UK Deal: While the 10% base tariff remains, British steel, aluminum, and most automobiles will avoid an added 25% duty. In exchange, the UK agreed to expand access to its market for American agricultural exports like meat and ethanol.

• China Deal: The Chinese government has agreed to ease some of its retaliatory tariffs and allow more American products into its market, paving the way for a broader trade agreement down the line.

• Vietnam Deal: Once facing a 46% tariff, Vietnam will now see a reduced 20% rate on most goods, though products re-exported via China will still face up to 40%.

In addition, Trump imposed a 25% tariff back in March on specific imports not included in those agreements. This move was aimed at pressuring foreign governments to address U.S. concerns about fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration.