Trump sends tariff letters to 7 nations in trade push

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday released a new round of tariff notifications to trading partners, setting duties of up to 30 percent on imports from seven additional countries, as part of his administration’s continued efforts to strike bilateral trade agreements.

The letters, addressed to the leaders of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Moldova, outline tariff rates ranging from 20 percent to 30 percent that are set to take effect August 1.

The move expands on a series of similar letters sent earlier in the week, with most rates remaining close to those initially proposed in April. Some countries, however, saw adjustments. Sri Lanka’s tariff was lowered to 30 percent from the 44 percent originally announced, while Iraq’s rate dropped to 30 percent from 39 percent. The Philippines, by contrast, saw its rate rise to 20 percent, up from 17 percent.

While a 10 percent tariff was imposed across nearly all trading partners in April, the White House withheld higher rates for dozens of countries, setting a deadline for their potential implementation. That deadline was originally scheduled for Wednesday but has been pushed back to August 1.

In the interim, foreign governments have begun receiving detailed tariff letters specifying the duties that will apply to their exports to the United States.

Trump said Wednesday that the new tariff rates were determined based on “common sense” and trade imbalances.

He also announced plans to issue more letters later in the day, including one to Brazil, which has not yet been targeted for an August tariff increase.

Trump’s latest letters echoed the language of those sent earlier in the week, justifying the tariffs as retaliation for what he described as one-sided trade relationships that are “far from Reciprocal.” The messages encouraged countries to shift production to the United States in order to avoid the new levies, and warned of further escalation if foreign leaders respond with countermeasures.

To date, more than 20 countries have received tariff notifications, including U.S. allies such as Japan and South Korea, along with Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand.

EU talks ongoing

Analysts have noted that many of the targeted countries so far are located in Asia, but attention has increasingly turned toward the European Union, which has yet to receive a formal letter.

On Tuesday, Trump said his administration was “probably two days off” from sending the EU its updated tariff notification.

“They’re very tough, but now they’re being very nice to us,” he said during a cabinet meeting.

An EU spokesman said Wednesday that the bloc is aiming to reach a deal with Washington “in the coming days,” and has shown willingness to agree on a framework. EU diplomats told AFP that the European Commission could continue negotiations until the August 1 deadline.

According to diplomats, the EU expects the United States to maintain a 10 percent base tariff on European goods, while seeking exemptions for key sectors including aerospace, spirits and cosmetics.

Legal, sectoral battles continue

Legal challenges to the sweeping tariff plan remain active in U.S. courts, as the administration defends its broad use of trade powers.

In addition to the country-specific tariffs, Trump has continued rolling out industry-targeted measures. Since returning to office in January, his administration has imposed duties on steel, aluminum and automobiles.

On Tuesday, Trump announced upcoming levies on copper and pharmaceuticals, with copper facing a 50 percent tariff and pharmaceutical products potentially hit with rates as high as 200 percent. He added that companies would be given time to relocate manufacturing operations to the United States.