Washington, DC [US], July 8 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) released letters sent by his administration to 14 countries, informing them of reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on August 1.
Trump first shared the letters addressed to Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung. About two hours later, he announced that similar letters had also been sent to Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Myanmar, and Laos.
Later, he posted letters sent to leaders of other countries, including Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Cambodia.
According to the letters, Thailand and Cambodia will each face a tariff of 36 percent, while Bangladesh and Serbia will each face a 35 percent tariff. Malaysia and Kazakhstan will each face a 25 percent tariff, and Myanmar and Laos will see a 40 percent tariff on their goods exported to the U.S. Indonesia will face a 32 percent tariff, while imports from South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be subject to 30 percent tariffs starting August 1. Tunisia will face a 25 percent tariff.
In his letters to the South Korean president and the Japanese prime minister, Trump confirmed that both Japan and South Korea will face a 25 percent tariff beginning August 1.
The letters also warned that the U.S. could increase the tariff rates by an equivalent amount if the countries raise their tariffs on American products. However, Trump indicated he was open to reducing the tariffs if the countries revised their trade policies.
Earlier Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Trump would sign an executive order delaying his original July 9 tariff deadline to August 1.
At a press briefing, Leavitt explained that, in addition to Japan and South Korea, 12 other nations would receive letters and notifications about the tariffs. She noted that Trump had previously pledged to develop “tailor-made” trade plans for each nation.
When asked why the administration decided to delay the tariffs originally scheduled for July 9 and whether other U.S. trading partners would also receive letters, Leavitt said, “Yes, I can confirm. In fact, I have those letters… I have the signed letters that went out to both South Korea and Japan today. There will be approximately 12 other countries that will receive notifications and letters directly from the President of the United States. Weeks ago, I stood at this podium and I told all of you that the President was going to create tailor-made trade plans for each and every country on this planet.”
She added, “The President will also sign an executive order today delaying the July 9 deadline to August 1. So the reciprocal tariff rate—or these new rates that will be provided in this correspondence to these foreign leaders—will be going out the door within the next month, or deals will be made and those countries will continue to negotiate with the United States. We’ve seen a lot of positive developments in the right direction. But the administration, the president, and his trade team want to cut the best deals for the American people and the American worker. That’s what they’re focused on. And in the interest of transparency, these letters will continue to be posted to Truth Social so you can read them yourself.”
The 90-day deadline Trump had set for nations to make trade deals with the U.S. or face higher tariffs is scheduled to expire July 9, CNN reported.
On April 2, Trump announced new “reciprocal” tariff rates for key U.S. trading partners, with some rates as high as 50 percent. Collectively, they were the highest tariffs the U.S. had imposed on foreign goods in over a century, CNN noted. When the tariffs took effect on April 9, they triggered a sell-off on Wall Street and turmoil in the bond market, prompting Trump to announce a three-month pause to allow further negotiations. (ANI)
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