Washington — President Donald Trump unleashed a new wave of trade tariffs late Thursday, targeting dozens of countries with levies reaching as high as 50 percent. The executive orders, announced during a press briefing at the White House, reflect a renewed commitment to what Trump’s inner circle is calling “tariff-driven diplomacy”—a doctrine that favors raw economic pressure over conventional negotiation.
Chief among the immediate casualties is Canada. Imports from the northern neighbor, once granted preferential rates under revamped trade deals, now face a 35 percent tariff across multiple sectors, including timber, metals, and manufacturing inputs. “We gave them enough chances,” Trump said curtly, adding that Canada has “taken advantage of America for decades.”
Other nations fared no better. A sweeping list of countries—rumored to include Brazil, South Korea, Malaysia, and Egypt—were notified of impending tariff hikes to be implemented in seven days unless their governments finalize bespoke trade agreements with Washington. The new system, reminiscent of pre-WTO protectionism, imposes an artificial countdown on global supply chains already strained by inflation, climate disruptions, and political instability.
Mexico, the United States’ southern neighbor and one of its most entangled economic partners, has been granted a temporary reprieve. A White House statement confirmed that tariffs on Mexican auto imports and critical minerals such as copper and aluminum would remain at 25 and 50 percent respectively, but any additional hikes have been paused for 90 days. Trump claimed that “progress is being made” in negotiations with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government, though no tangible framework has yet been presented.
From São Paulo to Seoul, markets reacted swiftly and with visible anxiety. The São Paulo Stock Exchange shed 1.8 percent amid speculation that Brazilian coffee exports—now facing a 50 percent tariff beginning August 6—could lose access to one of their largest consumer markets overnight. In India and Vietnam, exporters scrambled to renegotiate shipment terms ahead of looming tariff deadlines.
At home, the administration touts tariff revenues as a budgetary triumph. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the Treasury has collected over $150 billion in tariff-related revenue this year alone, boasting a trade surplus not seen since before the 2008 financial crisis. Economists, however, warn that such figures mask underlying costs. Retail prices for consumer goods—ranging from household staples to electronics—have surged, and small businesses report cascading supply chain disruptions.
A Utah-based electronics importer called the tariffs “a bureaucratic wrecking ball,” noting that delivery timelines have doubled and financing costs ballooned due to delays in exemptions. Democrats in Congress were quick to pounce, accusing the administration of offloading a geopolitical gamble onto working-class Americans. “This isn’t economic strategy,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “It’s hostage diplomacy.”
Nonetheless, the White House seems unfazed. “This is about respect,” President Trump said. “If they want access to our markets, they need to bring something to the table.”
The administration has also hinted at pending negotiations with the UK and the EU, suggesting they may receive tailored exemptions. Still, with nearly 200 nations reportedly reaching out to secure deals, trade officials face a logistical mountain—and a political minefield.
The global trade regime, already battered by years of populist disruption and pandemic-era nationalism, now finds itself at a dangerous crossroads. Trump’s maneuver might reap short-term fiscal gains, but it risks detonating the fragile architecture of international economic cooperation built over the past seven decades.
The new tariffs are already triggering panic in markets and diplomacy alike. According to BBC, Brazil’s coffee exporters are bracing for steep losses, while White House officials simultaneously trumpet what they frame as a “historic surplus.” Noted, tariff measures targeting nearly every global region are either live or imminent, with further updates expected within the week.
