Trump Sets Aug. 1 Tariffs of Up to 70% on Dozen Nations

President Donald Trump said on 4 July that the United States will begin sending letters to trading partners detailing new unilateral tariff rates of between 10 percent and 70 percent. The first batch of 10–12 notifications is being mailed immediately, with all partners to be informed by 9 July.

The White House plans to impose the duties from 1 August and no further postponements are envisaged. Speaking to reporters the next day, Trump said he had already signed roughly a dozen letters that will be dispatched on 7 July, but he declined to identify the countries involved, warning that violators “will be punished.”

Washington has so far reached provisional agreements with the United Kingdom, Vietnam and China. The deal with Hanoi trims the threatened 46 percent levy to 20 percent for most goods and 40 percent on items trans-shipped through Vietnam. Talks with the European Union and Japan remain unresolved; Brussels is trying to avoid duties that could reach 50 percent, while Tokyo has been told it may face tariffs exceeding 30 percent.

The move builds on Trump’s April decision to set a 10 percent minimum “reciprocal” duty and escalates tensions just months after a separate 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports took effect. Market analysts said the announcement tempered equities during the U.S. Independence Day holiday as investors reassessed the outlook for global trade.