New Trump tariffs take effect, imposing higher US import levies on exports from dozens of countries

New Trump tariffs take effect, imposing higher US import levies on exports from dozens of countries

As of 12:01 a.m. Thursday in Washington, the latest tranche of President Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs came into force, raising U.S. import duties on exports from dozens of countries. These country-specific levies, announced just before an August 1 deadline, now sit atop existing base rates in a bid to address what the administration describes as longstanding trade imbalances.  

In a late-night social-media post, Trump celebrated that “billions of dollars in tariffs” would now flow into U.S. coffers, warning that only a “radical leftist court” could derail his authority to impose these measures. Yet while higher duties make foreign goods pricier and less competitive, they are paid at the border—and economists note they typically get passed on to American businesses and consumers.  

The new surcharges span a wide spectrum: 41 percent on Syrian imports, 10 percent on British goods, and intermediate rates for other partners. Brazil faces a combined U.S. tariff of 50 percent after a 10 percent “reciprocal” surcharge was added this week to an existing 40 percent levy imposed in response to prosecutory actions against former president Jair Bolsonaro. Under a distinct framework deal with the European Union, the bloc’s basic duty rate is now 15 percent—absorbing prior additional tariffs so that, for example, cheese imports face 15 percent instead of the previous 29.9 percent.  

Governments worldwide have scrambled to negotiate exemptions or reductions, fearing that steep border taxes could deter investment and cost jobs. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter spent two days in Washington pressing for rollback of a surprise 39 percent tariff; upon her return to Bern, the Swiss cabinet convened an “extraordinary meeting” to chart its response.  

India’s current 25 percent surcharge is also at risk of doubling to 50 percent after Trump signed a Wednesday executive order targeting New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases. India has 21 days to file objections, and Trump has threatened similar actions against other nations buying Russian energy.  

This round of bespoke tariffs traces back to April 2—“Liberation Day,” as Trump called it—when he first announced additional duties on all imports plus steeper rates for countries with large U.S. trade deficits. After a 90-day pause and a subsequent four-week truce to allow for talks, he confirmed the updated tariff schedule last Friday.  

Several partners, including the UK, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, and the EU, have secured reduced rates through negotiations. Canada, by contrast, saw its full 35 percent surcharge take effect late last month, while Mexico preserved its 25 percent rate via a 90-day extension. China remains under a 30 percent duty as discussions continue ahead of an August 12 deadline for potential hikes.  

In a further escalation on Wednesday, Trump warned he would impose roughly 100 percent tariffs on imported semiconductor chips from countries lacking significant U.S. production facilities. Economists caution that these “reciprocal” measures, though aligned with Trump’s pledge to reclaim America’s economic sovereignty, risk stifling growth, raising consumer prices, and provoking retaliatory actions, potentially igniting a broader global trade conflict.