Trump unveils global reciprocal tariffs

By The Straits Times | Created at 2025-04-02 20:55:57 | Updated at 2025-04-03 17:49:59 21 hours ago

President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled global reciprocal tariffs during an event at the White House.

Following are highlights of Trump's remarks:

* "In many cases, the friend is worse than the foe in terms of trade," Trump said.

* "We subsidize a lot of countries and keep them going and keep them in business," Trump said about trade partners, specifically Mexico and Canada. "Why are we doing this? I mean, at what point do we say you got to work for yourselves."

* "We are finally putting American first," Trump said.

* "Trade deficits are no longer merely an economic problem. They are a national emergency," Trump said.

* Trump held up a board showing the new rates charged on most countries. Rates ranged from 10% to 49% on the board.

* With a few exceptions, based on the charts Trump read out, the tariff rate being imposed by the U.S. on most countries was around half of what those countries charged. There were some exceptions in which the U.S. charged the exact rates that those countries charged, according to the chart.

* "This is not full reciprocal, it is kind reciprocal," Trump said.

* Following is the list of new tariff rates Trump displayed.

Algeria 30%

Oman 10%

Uruguay 10%

Bahamas 10%

Lesotho 50%

Ukraine 10%

Bahrain 10%

Qatar 10%

Mauritius 40%

Fiji 32%