The new tariffs announced by Donald Trump are considered “almost final” and are not expected to be subject to immediate negotiations, as emphasized in a CBS television interview by White House Trade spokesperson Jameson Greer, who defended the trade policies implemented by the American president against Brazil. He noted that the new customs tariffs will likely not be discussed “in the coming days,” responding to related questions about possible negotiations.
New tariff rates range from 10% to 41%
Donald Trump signed the presidential decree on Thursday setting the rates for new tariffs that will burden products from dozens of countries imported to the US, ranging from 10% to 41%.
The new import tariffs will be implemented for most countries starting August 7th to allow customs services to organize.
Products from the European Union, Japan and South Korea will be burdened with 15%, the United Kingdom with 10%, Indonesia with 19%, Vietnam and Taiwan with 20%. For the eight economies with which the United States has made agreements, including the European Union and Japan, the tariffs have been “more or less finalized,” states Kevin Hassett, Trump’s chief economic advisor, on NBC network.
But for dozens of US trading partners with whom there is no agreement “we expect negotiations to continue,” he added.
Trump tariffs: Tool for political pressure and interference in other countries’ internal affairs
For Donald Trump, tariffs serve as both a means of political pressure and interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Brazil, for example, must be punished for prosecuting Trump’s far-right ally and former president Jair Bolsonaro and is threatened with the imposition of 50% tariffs.
“The president found in Brazil, as in other countries, misuse of the law, misuse of democracy,” stated Jameson Greer. “It is normal to use tariff tools for geopolitical issues,” he added.
However, the Supreme Court judge in Brazil who is handling the Jair Bolsonaro case stated that Brazil’s justice system will not submit to threats from the Trump administration.
