Washington — President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Thursday imposing a sweeping array of tariffs on imports from more than 90 nations, reigniting fears of a global trade war and drawing swift condemnation from allies and trade partners.
The new measure, billed by the White House as a “reciprocal tariff realignment,” levies duties ranging from 10 to 41 percent, depending on the country and commodity category. Officials confirmed that the order, effective August 7, is the largest tariff initiative undertaken by any US administration since the 1930s.
Canada was among the most prominent targets. The Trump administration raised tariffs on Canadian imports from 25 percent to 35 percent, citing what officials described as “persistent violations of fair trade norms.” Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Ottawa, called the move “a clear breach of partnership,” and vowed retaliatory measures. “Canada will be its own best customer,” he said.
Among the nations ensnared in President Trump’s sweeping trade overhaul, India has emerged as one of the most heavily impacted, with the administration imposing 25% tariffs on Indian goods across key sectors. The new rate affects a wide spectrum of exports, including pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, textiles, and electronics—industries that form the backbone of India’s multi-billion-dollar trade surplus with the United States. Senior officials in New Delhi condemned the move as “unilateral and punitive,” warning it could trigger retaliatory action and erode decades of bilateral economic cooperation.
The impact was not limited to India. Taiwan was slapped with a 20 percent duty despite its role in stabilizing supply chains for US chipmakers. South Africa, a critical source of rare minerals and agricultural produce, was targeted with a 30 percent rate. New Zealand faced a 15 percent levy, threatening its premium dairy and wine exports. Trade analysts also cautioned that the executive order includes vague “national interest” clauses, which could allow the White House to push surcharges well above 40 percent, particularly against countries like Brazil and Vietnam, further weaponizing trade as a tool of geopolitical leverage.
The financial markets reacted with immediacy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 1.2 percent by midday Friday. Treasury yields slid, while the US dollar softened against major currencies. Wall Street’s response was compounded by new labor data showing only 73,000 jobs were added in July—well below projections—with downward revisions wiping out over 250,000 jobs from the previous quarter.
In remarks to reporters, President Trump linked the economic slowdown to “foreign cheating,” while intensifying pressure on the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates. “The Fed is costing us competitiveness,” he said, reiterating his longstanding grievances with the central bank. “This is about America first—finally.”
The administration’s strategy appeared designed as both an economic signal and an electoral message. Speaking on background, one senior trade adviser described the move as “a recalibration of trust,” aimed at nations “who benefit from the US market but do not share US priorities.”
But the fallout was global.
France warned that its wine industry alone could lose €1 billion in annual sales. New Zealand’s trade minister described the tariffs as “a punitive maneuver devoid of reason.” South African officials said the new rates could devastate their textile exports, while Taiwan’s government called the order “counterproductive and destabilizing.”
Some nations, however, appeared to have secured modest reprieves. India, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Pakistan were reportedly able to negotiate reductions to their assigned rates—down to 19 percent—through last-minute diplomatic engagement. Australia, long a close U.S. partner, retained a flat 10 percent tariff rate under a 2020 bilateral carve-out.
Behind the scenes, the administration leaned heavily on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify the measure—a legal gambit that has drawn fire from federal courts. In recent rulings, judges signaled that Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day tariffs” may have overstepped executive authority, raising questions about the viability of this latest wave of economic restrictions.
Legal ambiguity has not slowed the administration’s momentum. Speaking from the Rose Garden, White House Trade Representative Beth Harrington dismissed concerns. “This is a matter of sovereignty,” she said. “The days of tolerating economic manipulation are over.”
The broader implications are hard to ignore. Economists warn that the tariffs may raise consumer prices on essential goods—particularly electronics, pharmaceuticals, and apparel—while accelerating inflationary pressure. Trade experts suggest that the tariffs could further fragment global supply chains already fraying under the weight of geopolitics and protectionism.
“This is not targeted economic leverage,” said Ian Monroe, a senior fellow at the Council on Global Trade. “It’s a hammer dropped in a hall of mirrors. The impact will be erratic, painful, and deeply political.”
According to The Guardian, which provided continuous coverage of the order’s rollout and international reactions, the move has left Washington increasingly isolated in its own economic doctrine. “Trump’s new tariffs do not merely threaten trade—they call into question the very architecture of multilateralism that underpinned global growth since World War II,” the publication noted in its Friday coverage.
