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Trump announces steep new tariffs on Japan, South Korea

At the same time, the president pushed back the effective date of his earlier reciprocal duties

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US President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami, in Miami, Florida on January 27, 2025. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami, in Miami, Florida on January 27, 2025. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump revealed new tariffs on U.S. trading partners in a series of social media posts on Monday.

Sharing screenshots to Truth Social, the president revealed blanket tariffs on imports from Japan, South Korea and 12 other countries if they do not reach new trade deals with the United States by August. The steep duties range from 25% to 40% on all imported goods and were announced via letters sent to the leaders of each country.

“We have decided to move forward with you, but only with more balanced, and fair, TRADE,” Trump wrote to Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. “We invite you to participate in the extraordinary Economy of the United States, the Number One Market in the World, by far.”

Trump also took the opportunity to push back the effective date of earlier reciprocal tariffs on nearly all U.S. imports. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had revealed the delayed deadline for those tariffs, announced in April, over the weekend.

“President Trump is the best trade negotiator in history,” the White House crowed in a rundown of the new taxes. “His strategy has focused on addressing systemic imbalances in our tariff rates that have tilted the playing field in favor of our trading partners for decades.”


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