The broadest tariffs ever made by US President Donald Trump. This is a move that could cause retaliation, increase trade tensions and disrupt the global economy.
The first 10% “baseline” tariffs came into effect at US ports, airports and customs warehouses at 12:01 AM (04:01 AM GMT) on Saturday, completely rejecting the post-World War II system of tariff rates that Trump agreed to.
Of the countries that first clashed with 10% tariffs, Australia, the UK, Colombia, Argentina, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The trade gap was driven by a “lack of reciprocity” in relations and other policies such as “exorbitant value-added tax.” The White House said.
US Customs and Border Protection indicates there is no bounty period for cargo on the water in the middle of the night on Saturday.
However, the US Customs and Border Protection bulletin provided a 51-day grace period for cargo loaded onto a ship or plane before 12:01am on Saturday. These cargoes must arrive by 12:01am (4:01am GMT) on May 27th to avoid the 10% obligation.
Additionally, on April 9th, a “mutual” tariff rate of 11% to 50% will be in effect. European Union imports will be hit by a 20% tariff, while Chinese goods will be hit by a 34% tariff, bringing the total new tax on Trump in China to 54%.
After Trump’s first trade war with Beijing, Vietnam, which benefited from a shift in supply chains with US supply chains away from China, suffers a 46% tariff. However, the country agreed to discuss the deal with Trump on Friday.
Both Canada and Mexico are exempt from Trump’s latest obligations. This is because they are subject to 25% tariffs related to the US fentanyl crisis on products that do not comply with the US Mexican-Canada regulations of origin.
“Adorable earthquake”
Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, told Al Jazeera that US tariffs are being treated very poorly by investors.
“This will have a very negative impact on the economic outcomes of workers, families and businesses,” he said, adding that the move “will constitute a $400 billion tax increase for American households and businesses this year.”
“The combination of a significant increase in taxes and tariffs will raise the prices of these imports that households face [and] It means that households are very likely to see negative income growth… and that alone will put a risk to the US recession,” he said.
On Friday, China announced that it would impose a 34% tariff on US products starting April 10th.
Trump warned on social media on Friday that “China made that wrong,” which he said “they can’t afford to do so.”
Other major trading partners are being restrained as they continue to digest their deployed international position and fears of recession.
Trump’s Wednesday tariff announcement wiped out the $5 trillion stock market value of S&P 500 companies by the end of Friday, shaking all of the two-day record decline of $5 trillion stock market value. While investors fled to the safety of government bonds, prices of oil and commodities fell sharply.
Economists also warn that tariffs could weaken growth and fuel inflation.
Kelly Anne Shaw, Hogan Lovells’ trade lawyer and former White House trade adviser during Trump’s first term, said Thursday that he hopes tariffs will evolve over time as the country attempts to negotiate lower fees at an event at the Brookings facility.
“This is the single biggest trade action of our life,” she said. “But this is huge. This is a pretty earthquake-related change in the way we exchange for every country on Earth.”
Trump said on his true social platform, “policies will never change.”
However, his latest tariffs have a notable exclusion. They have not imposed a 25% tariff recently hit by steel, aluminum and automobile imports.
It also temporarily escaped alongside copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, wood, “certain important minerals” and energy products, the White House said.
But Trump has ordered a copper and wood investigation, which could soon lead to further obligations.
He threatens to be attacked by other industries such as medicines and semiconductors. This means that any tolerance can be limited.
