Trump announces steep tariffs on 14 countries, effective August 1

07/12/2025 / By Laura Harris

President Donald Trump announced steep new tariffs on imports from 14 nations, including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and South Africa, with rates ranging from 25 percent to 40 percent, set to take effect on Aug. 1.
In letters posted to Truth Social, Trump warned these countries not to retaliate, threatening to raise U.S. tariffs even higher if they do.
The move escalates Trump’s April 2 “reciprocal trade” initiative, which initially delayed tariffs to allow time for negotiations – talks that have since stalled.
The administration is also targeting the transshipping of goods through third countries to evade duties, declaring such goods will be hit with the highest applicable tariff.
Trump left the door open for modification, stating that tariff levels could go “upward or downward” depending on how countries respond and the state of U.S. bilateral relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on imports from at least 14 countries, escalating his administration’s push for “reciprocal trade” ahead of the reinstatement of higher trade barriers scheduled for later this summer.

In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform on Monday, July 7, Trump released screenshots of form letters addressed to foreign leaders, outlining blanket tariff hikes set to take effect on Aug. 1. The letters, signed by the president, declare that U.S. imports from countries including Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Laos, Myanmar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Cambodia and Thailand will soon face sharply increased duties.

According to the documents Trump posted, 25 percent tariffs will apply to goods from Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Tunisia, 30 percent on imports from South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 32 percent on Indonesian goods, 35 percent on imports from Bangladesh and Serbia, 36 percent for Cambodia and Thailand and 40 percent for goods from Laos and Myanmar.

All of these countries had been on a list identified in Trump’s April 2 “reciprocal trade” initiative, which paused full tariff implementation in exchange for negotiation windows. But with limited progress made, the president opted to escalate. (Related: Trump’s 125% tariff triggers panic among Chinese Amazon sellers.)

Additionally, transshipping, a tactic in which exporters reroute products through third countries to avoid tariffs, is explicitly targeted by the new policy.

“Goods transshipped to evade a higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff,” Trump wrote in the letter.

Trump, who originally slated to kick new tariff rates this July, signed an executive order Monday afternoon delaying implementation until Aug. 1. The order cited “additional information and recommendations from various senior officials” as the reason for the delay.

Trump threatens even steeper tariffs if 14 countries push back

The letters also deliver a clear warning to the 14 countries: Do not retaliate.

“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25 percent that we charge,” Trump wrote in the letters, signaling that any retaliatory duties will be met with even steeper U.S. tariffs.

The letters suggest that countries could see relief, but only if they fully dismantle trade restrictions. If a country “eliminates” its “Tariff and Non-Tariff Policies and Trade Barriers,” the U.S. will “perhaps consider an adjustment to this letter,” Trump wrote. “These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country.”

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Watch the July 8 episode of “Brighteon Broadcast News” as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses Trump unleashing new tariff wars with an extra attack on BRICS nations.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.