Donald Trump Says Minimum 10 Per Cent Baseline Tariff Will Apply On All Imports

He went on to clarify that while the 10 per cent figure serves as the minimum, tariffs could go much higher in certain instances.

Without disclosing specifics, Trump mentioned that multiple trade agreements are expected to materialise in the near term.

Source : PTI

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his administration's firm stance on maintaining a minimum 10 per cent baseline tariff on imports into the country, while suggesting the possibility of exceptions under certain circumstances.

His comments came amid ongoing efforts by countries such as South Korea to either secure exemptions or mitigate the impact of recently imposed US tariffs, reported IANS.

During a press briefing at the White House following the signing of executive orders, Trump addressed a question regarding tariff reciprocity. Specifically, he was asked whether the baseline levy would still apply even if other nations were to offer zero tariffs on American exports. In response, Trump said, “You are going to always have a baseline. I mean, there could be an exception at some point. We'll see if somebody does something exceptional for us.”

He went on to clarify that while the 10 per cent figure serves as the minimum, tariffs could go much higher in certain instances. “It’s always possible, but basically, you have a baseline of a minimum of 10 per cent and some of them will be much higher -- 40 percent, 50 per cent and 60 percent as they have been doing to us over the years,” he said.

New Trade Deals in the Pipeline

Without disclosing specifics, Trump mentioned that multiple trade agreements are expected to materialise in the near term. “There will be four or five more trade deals coming immediately,” he noted, but did not name the countries involved in these forthcoming arrangements.

The baseline tariff officially took effect on April 5. However, the administration has temporarily held off on implementing higher country-specific reciprocal tariffs — including a proposed 25 per cent duty on imports from South Korea — until July 8. The delay has been offered to create space for further negotiations on a range of issues, including tariff barriers, non-tariff restrictions, and other trade-related challenges.

Concerns Over China-Russia Ties Following North Korea Statement

Separately, the US State Department voiced concern over the strengthening cooperation between China and Russia, particularly in the context of their support for North Korea. This follows a joint statement issued by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they called on the international community to move away from unilateral coercive measures and military pressure against North Korea.

Responding to the development, a State Department spokesperson warned that such alliances could have broader security implications. “As President Trump has said, continued cooperation between these two nuclear powers will only further contribute to global instability and make the United States and other countries less safe, less secure and less prosperous,” the spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency.

The statement underscored growing geopolitical tensions and highlights Washington’s concerns about the strategic alignment between Beijing and Moscow, especially as it relates to US foreign policy and security objectives in the Asia-Pacific region.