Trump to Implement Tariffs Between 15% and 20% on Non-agreement Countries
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is likely to implement a blanket tariff between 15% and 20% on imports to the United States from countries that have not negotiated separate trade agreements. “For the world, I would say it’ll be somewhere in the 15% to 20% range … I just want to be nice,” Trump stated during a meeting in Turnberry, Scotland, alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Continuing to elaborate on the potential tariff rates, Trump said, “I would say in the range of 15% to 20%, probably one of those two numbers.” This proposed increase from the previously set 10% baseline tariff, announced in April, raises concerns for smaller countries that had hoped for a more favorable rate.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had indicated earlier this month that smaller nations, including those in Latin America, the Caribbean, and many in Africa, would see a lower baseline tariff of 10%. However, Trump clarified that “we’re going to be setting a tariff for essentially the rest of the world, and that’s what they’re going to pay if they want to do business in the United States, because you can’t sit down and make 200 deals.”
As of now, the White House has not responded to requests for comment regarding whether there would be exemptions on the baseline tariff rate for smaller nations.
With the deadline for new tariffs set for August 1, Trump’s comments emerge at a time when many countries have yet to negotiate trade deals with the United States. In recent statements, Trump administration officials have suggested that there isn’t any urgency for additional agreements. “We’ve all heard the president repeatedly say that he’s happy with the tariff, he’s happy to just send a letter and set a tariff, as opposed to having a deal,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer mentioned on CNBC.
The proposed tariff rate of 15% to 20% aligns with recent agreements made between the United States and major trading partners. Last week, Trump revealed 15% tariffs on Japan and announced similar tariffs on most European goods over the weekend. However, some countries, such as Brazil and Laos, are facing even steeper tariffs, with rates soaring as high as 40% and 50%.
