Trump's New Tariffs to Take Effect Immediately, White House Confirms
President Donald Trump's new tariffs will take effect immediately after their official announcement at 4 p.m. Eastern Time today, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
"My understanding is that the tariff announcement will come tomorrow. They will be effective immediately, and the president has been teasing this for quite some time," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt stated that Trump had finalized his decision on the tariff levels but declined to disclose specifics. "I don’t want to get ahead of the president. This is obviously a very big day," she said. "He is with his trade and tariff team right now, perfecting it to ensure this is a fair deal for the American people and the American worker. You will all find out in about 24 hours from now."
However, multiple reports indicated that Trump’s team was still finalizing the size and scope of the tariffs.
Open to Negotiation, But Firm on Policy
Leavitt suggested that Trump remains open to negotiations with other nations, saying, "Certainly, the president is always willing to take a phone call, always up for a good negotiation. But he is very much focused on fixing the wrongs of the past and ensuring that American workers get a fair shake."
Her remarks echoed Trump’s comments last week, in which he described the reciprocal levies as "very lenient," noting that in many cases, they would be "less than the tariffs that other countries have been charging us for decades." The White House added Monday that the tariffs would be "country-based" with "no exemptions."
Among the expected measures is a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, which Trump said would apply to all cars "not made in the United States." Bloomberg reported that several major U.S. automakers are lobbying the administration to exclude low-value parts from the planned tariffs.
Global Pushback and Retaliation Threats
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded Tuesday, warning that the EU has "a strong plan to retaliate" if necessary. Still, she emphasized the bloc’s preference for a "negotiated solution" to avoid a full-scale trade war.
Other nations, including Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and South Korea, have also prepared retaliatory measures. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would "counterattack" if the U.S. continues what he called "blackmail."
“‘America First’ should not mean American bullying, and it should not build its own interests by damaging the legitimate rights of other countries," Wang told Russian state media.
Israel, however, took a different approach, announcing Tuesday that it would eliminate all tariffs on U.S. goods—the first country to do so since Trump’s reelection.
Existing and Upcoming Tariffs
The new measures will build upon previously announced tariffs, including a 25% duty on steel and aluminum imports and a separate 25% levy on foreign cars set to take effect Thursday. A 25% tariff on foreign auto parts is expected by early May.
These tariffs will be applied in addition to any country-specific duties. For example, a 10% tariff on all imports from South Korea would mean vehicles, aluminum, and steel from the country would face a combined 35% tariff.
The escalating trade measures have heightened concerns over a potential global trade conflict, with key U.S. allies and adversaries alike preparing responses.