5/7/2025–|Last update: 14:52 (Mecca time)
The US President said Donald Trump He signed letters to 12 countries that define the various customs duties rates that they will face on the goods they export to the United States, to be sent on the basis of “either acceptance or rejection” on Monday.
In comments to reporters on the presidential plane while heading to New Jersey, Trump refused to determine the countries concerned, saying this would be announced on Monday.
In response to a question about his plans for customs duties, Trump said, “I signed some letters and will be sent on Monday, perhaps 12 (message) … different money and different customs duties.”
He added on the presidential plane on Friday that sending notes would be much easier than “sitting and doing 15 different.”
He continued, “We did this with the United Kingdom, and it was great for both parties. We realize that we have a certain deficit and in some cases a surplus, but not in many cases … and this is what you should pay if you want to deal (with) the United States.”
Trump had told reporters on Thursday that he expected the first batch of messages on Friday -which was a national holiday in US– But the date has changed.
Last April, Trump announced basic fees of 10% and an additional one for most countries, some of which amount to 50% in a global trade war that turned the financial markets upside down and prompted governments to take measures to protect their economies.
However, all customs duties with the exception of 10% later for 90 days have been suspended to provide more time to negotiate agreements.
This period ends on the ninth of July, yet Trump said early Friday that customs duties may be higher than the levels announced in the past, to reach 70%, and that most of them are scheduled to enter into force in the first of August next.
Trump and his senior aides initially said that they will start negotiations with dozens of countries on customs duties, but the US President retracted this process after repeated setbacks with major commercial partners, including Japan. And the European Union.
He did not address his expectations that some broader trade agreements can be reached before the suspension period ended Customs On July 9.
This shift in a strategy reflects White House The presence of challenges in front of the completion of various commercial agreements, starting from customs duties to non -customs barriers such as the ban on agricultural imports, especially in a close time frame.
Most of the previous trade agreements took years of negotiations to complete them.
It has not reached Washington So far to agreements except:
- with Britain Last May to keep customs duties at 10% with preferred treatment for some sectors such as cars and aircraft engines.
- And last week with Vietnam, as customs duties were reduced on many Vietnamese goods to 20% instead of 46% that Trump had previously threatened to allow many American products to enter Vietnam Exempt from the fees.
- Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily reduce customs duties.