U.S. President Donald Trump launched a recent set of letters to buying and selling companions on Wednesday (July 9, 2025), setting out tariff charges for seven more countries as Washington pushes to convey a few flurry of commerce deals.
The letters, addressed to leaders of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Moldova, spelled out duties starting from 20% to 30% that will take impact on August 1.
Similar to Mr. Trump’s first batch of paperwork printed on Monday (July 7, 2025), the degrees weren’t too removed from these initially threatened in April, though some companions acquired notably decrease charges this time.
Sri Lanka’s up to date tariff was 30%, down from 44% introduced in April, whereas the determine for Iraq was 30%, down from 39%.
The Philippines, nonetheless, noticed a 20% levy, up from 17% introduced beforehand.
While the president in April imposed a ten% levy on virtually all buying and selling companions, he unveiled — after which withheld — larger charges for dozens of economies.
The deadline for these steeper ranges to take impact was meant to be Wednesday, earlier than Mr. Trump postponed it additional to August 1.
Instead, countries who face the threats of elevated duties started receiving letters spelling out U.S. tariff charges on their merchandise.
Mr. Trump stated on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) that he selected the levies based mostly on “common sense” and commerce deficits.
He added at an occasion that he would launch more letters later in the day — together with for Brazil, which doesn’t at present face a tariff hike come August.
Mr. Trump’s newest messages have been near-identical to these printed earlier in the week, and justified his tariffs as a response to commerce ties that he says are “far from Reciprocal.”
They urged countries to manufacture merchandise in the United States to keep away from duties, whereas threatening additional escalation if leaders retaliated.
For now, over 20 countries have acquired Trump’s letters together with key U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, in addition to Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand.
EU deal in ‘coming days’?
Analysts have famous that Asian countries have been a key goal to date.
But all eyes are on the state of negotiations with main companions who’ve but to obtain such letters, together with the European Union.
For now, the Trump administration is beneath stress to unveil more commerce pacts. So far, Washington has solely reached agreements with Britain and Vietnam, alongside a deal to quickly decrease tit-for-tat levies with China.
Mr. Trump on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) stated that his authorities was “probably two days off” from sending the EU a letter with an up to date tariff charge for the bloc.
“They’re very tough, but now they’re being very nice to us,” he added at a cupboard assembly.
An EU spokesman stated on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) that the bloc needs to strike a take care of the United States “in the coming days,” and has proven readiness to attain an settlement in precept.
EU diplomats say the European Commission, in cost of commerce coverage for the 27-country bloc, may proceed talks till August 1.
The EU expects Mr. Trump to hold a ten% baseline tariff on its items, with exemptions for important sectors reminiscent of airplanes, spirits and cosmetics, diplomats informed AFP this week.
Legal challenges to Trump’s sweeping tariffs are persevering with to work their manner by means of the U.S. courtroom system.
Apart from tariffs focusing on items from completely different countries, Mr. Trump has additionally rolled out sector-specific duties on metal, aluminum and autos since returning to the White House in January.
On Tuesday (July 8, 2025), Mr. Trump stated levies have been incoming on copper and prescription drugs.
The deliberate charge for copper is 50%, he added, whereas pharmaceutical merchandise face a levy as excessive as 200% — however producers could be given time to relocate operations.
Published – July 10, 2025 12:10 am IST