Trump Announces Tariffs On 14 Countries, Up To 40%; Retaliation From Japan And South Korea May Escalate Tensions
Jul 09, 2025
According to CCTV News, on the 7th local time, U.S. President Donald Trump sent letters to 14 countries including Japan, South Korea, and South Africa, threatening to impose tariffs.
Subsequently, he signed an executive order to extend the implementation of the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," postponing the start date from July 9 to August 1.
President Trump announced that starting August 1, the U.S. will impose tariffs on imported products from the following 14 countries:
Japan, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Tunisia: 25%
Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Africa: 30%
Indonesia: 32%
Bangladesh, Serbia: 35%
Cambodia, Thailand: 36%
Laos, Myanmar: 40%
Trump warned that if Japan or South Korea retaliates by raising tariffs, the U.S. will impose additional tariffs of equal amount on top of the existing 25%.
Trump stated that the trade deficit has posed a serious threat to the U.S. economy and national security, and therefore changes must be made. These tariffs will be applied independently of existing industry-specific tariffs.
In addition, any attempts to circumvent the tariffs through third-country transshipment will result in even higher tariffs. Trump emphasized that companies choosing to build factories or produce goods within the United States will be exempt from these tariffs.
If the affected countries decide to raise tariffs on U.S. goods in response, the U.S. will impose an additional tariff of equal magnitude on top of the current rate.
