Trump declares stinging tariffs on US associates in Asia
(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a fresh round of tariffs targeting several nations, including key American allies Japan and South Korea.
In similar letters posted Monday on Truth Social, Trump informed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung that a 25% tariff will be imposed on all imports from their countries starting August 1. He criticized both nations for maintaining what he described as unbalanced trade relationships with the U.S.
“Our economic ties have been far from reciprocal,” Trump wrote, adding that the U.S. is open to continued cooperation but only under fairer trade conditions. He warned that if either country retaliates with tariffs of their own, an additional 25% levy could be imposed.
Other countries affected by the new measures include Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Tunisia, which will also face 25% tariffs. Higher rates have been set for South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina (30%), Indonesia (32%), Serbia and Bangladesh (35%), Thailand and Cambodia (36%), and Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar (40%).
Trump has consistently defended tariffs as a way to correct trade imbalances and protect American industries, although critics argue the policy leads to higher costs for U.S. consumers and damages the broader economy. Opponents, including Democrats and some economists, have described the latest tariff structure as poorly planned.
The move follows an earlier package introduced on April 2, known as the “Liberation Day” tariffs, which included a 10% duty on all imports and steeper rates for major trading partners such as China, Mexico, Canada, and the EU. Some of those tariffs were temporarily paused for 90 days to allow room for negotiations.
Trump has warned that if no trade deals are reached soon, more tariffs will follow. “By the ninth they’ll be fully covered,” he told reporters last Friday, noting that future tariff rates could range from 10% to as high as 70%.
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