President Donald Trump has intensified the United States’ trade offensive by signing and preparing to send formal notices to 12 different countries, each outlining new tariffs that will soon be imposed on their exports to the American market.
These letters, which the White House describes as “take it or leave it” offers, are scheduled for dispatch at the beginning of the week, indicating a decisive move away from lengthy negotiations towards direct, unilateral action.
While speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on his way to New Jersey, Trump confirmed that the letters had been signed but declined to identify which countries would be affected, promising that the details would be made public once the letters are sent.
This announcement follows an earlier plan to send the first batch of letters on an American national holiday, a timeline that has since been pushed back.
This latest move comes as global markets remain unsettled by the Trump administration’s increasingly protectionist trade policies. Earlier in the year, the United States announced a baseline tariff of 10% on a wide range of imported goods, with the possibility of much steeper rates—some threatened to reach as high as 50%.
However, these higher tariffs were temporarily put on hold for a 90-day period to allow for further negotiations with trading partners, a window that is now closing. Trump has since suggested that tariffs could climb even higher, potentially reaching 70% for certain countries, with most of the new rates expected to take effect from the start of August.
“I signed some letters and they’ll go out on Monday, probably twelve,” Trump stated, when asked about the latest tariff measures. “Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs.”
The White House had initially indicated that it would pursue negotiations with numerous countries to establish new tariff frameworks. However, after repeated setbacks with key partners such as Japan and the European Union, Trump has abandoned this approach in favour of issuing direct ultimatums.
He told reporters that “the letters are better … much easier to send a letter,” showing his growing impatience with protracted negotiations.
Securing comprehensive trade agreements is notoriously complex, often involving years of talks over not just tariffs but also non-tariff barriers like agricultural restrictions and regulatory standards. The Trump administration’s accelerated timeline has made it difficult to reach broad-based deals, and so far only a few agreements have been concluded.
In May, the United Kingdom secured a deal to maintain a 10% tariff rate on its exports to the U.S., with preferential treatment for sectors such as automotive manufacturing and aerospace. Vietnam also reached an agreement that lowers tariffs on its goods to 20%, down from a previously threatened 46%, while American products will be allowed into Vietnam duty-free.
Negotiations with India have stalled, and European Union officials have admitted that their talks with Washington have failed to produce a breakthrough. As a result, EU diplomats are now considering ways to maintain the current trade arrangements in order to avoid further tariff increases.
The Trump administration’s aggressive stance has drawn criticism both at home and abroad, with economists warning that such measures could disrupt global supply chains and lead to higher prices for consumers. Many fear that these tariffs will provoke retaliatory actions from other countries, further escalating trade tensions and undermining international economic stability.