Trump will address 'decades of unfair trade' with reciprocal tariffs

President Trump has hyped the announcement as "Liberation Day" but has sought to dial down anxiety about it, saying the tariffs will be "more lenient than reciprocal" and "kind." No details are available yet about the breadth and scope of the coming tariffs.

"Tomorrow, the President will be addressing the decades of unfair trade practices that have ripped our country off and American workers off," Karoline Levitt, the White House spokesperson, said on Tuesday.

"It has hollowed out our middle class. It has destroyed our heartland, and the President is focused on re-shifting our global economy to ensure that America is once again the manufacturing superpower of the world."

"Certainly, the President is always up to take a phone call, always up for a good negotiation," she commented further in response to a question about the potential for negotiations following the announcement.

"But he is very much focused on fixing the wrongs of the past and showing that American workers have a fair shake."

Reports have suggested that discussions among his aides have focussed several options: a 15 per cent on the"Dirty 15" countries and entities, as they have been described by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent -- or it could be a universal tariff imposed on all.

In a notice in the federal register has identified these countries and entities as possible targets: India, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

Trump told reporters Monday some countries have begun dialing down their tariffs in anticipation of the announcement, which, he added, included India and Europe. But, as the spokesperson indicated, the White House is open to talks.

Trump first announced his intention to bring such a tariff system in his inauguration address to end "destructive trade deficits" and he has since said it will come into effect on April 2 -- and not on April 1 before the "April Fool" implications. These tariffs will be over and above those announced by Trump on imports from Canada, Mexico and China -- 25 per cent for the former and two and 10 per cent on latter -- and 25 per cent on all imported automobiles and auto parts.

He has not yet offered clues to the size of the upcoming tariffs or the target countries. But according to the President Trump has frequently mentioned India for its tariffs, which he has called "brutal", and the trade deficit. The US goods trade deficit with India was $45.7 billion in 2024, a 5.4 per cent increase ($2.4 billion) over 2023, according to the office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the top trade negotiator for the US.

Total goods trade between the two countries was an estimated $129.2 billion in 2024. American goods exports to India were $41.8 billion, up 3.4 per cent ($1.4 billion) from 2023 ad total US goods imports from India totaled $87.4 billion in 2024, up 4.5 per cent ($3.7 billion) from 2023.

India and the US have held trade talks in the lead up to the anticipated reciprocal tariffs but neither side has divulged details. "I think it's going to work out very well, between India and our country," he said Friday when asked specifically about trade talks with India.

"I'll probably be more lenient than reciprocal, because if I was reciprocal, that would be very tough for people," Trump said in an interview with Newsmax last week. Once again, he offered no details.

"I know there are some exceptions, and it's an ongoing discussion, but not too many, not too many exceptions," the president added.