Washington - Saba:
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States may impose tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on 150 non-major countries.
Trump told Voice of America radio: "We have over 200 countries, right? So we'll announce a single number for the remaining 150, which is close to 150, and it's likely to be 10 or 15 percent."
"We haven't decided yet. That's very important," he added.
After returning to the White House, the US president embarked on a more aggressive trade policy, including imposing tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, increasing tariffs on China, and imposing tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobile products.
This policy culminated on April 2, when the White House announced the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on imports, totaling 10%, with higher rates applied to imports from 57 countries. However, these measures were suspended just a week later, and Washington began negotiations with several trading partners.
According to the Institute for Supply Management, this policy contributed to a decline in manufacturing activity within the United States and caused significant disruptions to supply chains. American companies found themselves in a difficult financial situation, forced to bear additional costs to offset higher prices.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, markets have begun to ignore Trump's statements, as investors have grown accustomed to his reversal of some measures under market pressure.