On Monday, Donald Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on Japan and South Korea, in letters shared to Truth Social that were identical in all but their addressee and mentions of the two countries.
“Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal,” both letters state. Beginning on August 1, a 25 percent tariff will be placed on “any and all [of the countries’] products sent into the United States,” which will be separate from sectoral tariffs, or those specifically applied to products from certain industries.
The copy-paste letters state that the U.S. trade deficit with both countries “is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!”
The letters also warn, “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% that we charge,” and the tariffs “may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country.”
Trump in early April paused planned tariffs for 90 days, promising to secure 90 trade deals in that time—and falling 88 short as of Monday morning, with two days to go. Since then, Trump has extended the deadline and said, in lieu of trade deals, he would send unilateral “tariff letters” to hundreds of countries to establish rates; on Fox News last week, he said such letters might say: “Dear Mr. Japan, here’s the story. You’re going to pay a 25 percent tariff on your cars.”
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