Trade
7 months ago

Major developments in Trump's trade war

A drone view shows trucks crossing into the United States via the Zaragoza-Ysleta border bridge, after US President Donald Trump announced imposing a 30 per cent tariff on imported goods from the European Union and Mexico, starting August 1, 2025, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, July 12, 2025.
A drone view shows trucks crossing into the United States via the Zaragoza-Ysleta border bridge, after US President Donald Trump announced imposing a 30 per cent tariff on imported goods from the European Union and Mexico, starting August 1, 2025, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, July 12, 2025. Photo : REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

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US President Donald Trump's tariff decisions since he took office on January 20 have shocked financial markets and sent a wave of uncertainty through the global economy.

Here is a timeline of the major developments:

February 1 - Trump imposes 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10 per cent on goods from China, demanding they curb the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants into the US

February 3 - Trump agrees to a 30-day pause in his tariff threat on Mexico and Canada in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement. The US does not reach such a deal with China.

February 10 - Trump raises tariffs on steel and aluminum to a flat 25 per cent "without exceptions or exemptions".

March 3 - Trump says 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect from March 4 and doubles fentanyl-related tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20 per cent.

March 6 - Trump exempts goods from Canada and Mexico under a North American trade pact for a month.

March 26 - Trump unveils a 25 per cent tariff on imported cars and light trucks.

April 2 - Trump announces global tariffs with a baseline of 10 per cent across all imports and significantly higher duties on some of the United States' biggest trading partners.

April 9 - Trump pauses for 90 days most of his country-specific tariffs that kicked in less than 24 hours earlier after an upheaval in financial markets erased trillions of dollars from bourses around the world.

The 10 per cent blanket duty on almost all US imports stays in place.

Trump says he will raise the tariff on Chinese imports to 125 per cent from the 104 per cent level that took effect a day earlier. This pushes the extra duties on Chinese goods to 145 per cent, including the previously imposed tariffs.

May 9 - Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce a limited bilateral trade agreement that leaves in place 10 per cent tariffs on British exports and lowers US duties on British car exports.

May 12 - The US and China agree to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs. Under the 90-day truce, the US will cut the extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports to 30 per cent from 145 per cent, while China's duties on US imports will be slashed to 10 per cent from 125 per cent.

May 13 - The US cuts the low value "de minimis" tariff on China shipments, reducing duties for items valued at up to $800 to 54 per cent from 120 per cent.

May 23 - Trump says he is recommending a straight 50 per cent tariff on goods from the European Union starting on June 1. He backpedals on this threat two days later.

He also warns Apple (AAPL.O) it would face a 25 per cent tariff if phones it sold in the US were manufactured outside of the country.

May 29 - A federal appeals court temporarily reinstates the most sweeping of Trump's tariffs, pausing an earlier lower court's ruling to consider the government's appeal.

June 3 - Trump signs an executive proclamation activating a hike in the steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent from 25 per cent.

June 12 - Trump warns he may soon hike auto tariffs.

July 3 - Trump says the US will place a 20 per cent tariff on many Vietnamese exports, with trans-shipments from third countries through Vietnam facing a 40 per cent levy.

July 6 - Trump says on Truth Social that countries aligning themselves with the "Anti-American policies" of BRICS will be charged an additional 10 per cent tariff.

July 7 - Trump says on Truth Social the additional higher duties announced in earlier months will kick in with a delay on August 1. In letters sent to 14 countries including Japan, South Korea and Serbia, he says that will include tariffs between 25 per cent and 40 per cent.

July 10 - Trump says the US will impose a 35 per cent tariff on imports from Canada in August and plans to impose blanket tariffs of 15 per cent or 20 per cent on most other trading partners.

July 12 - Trump threatens to impose a 30 per cent tariff on imports from Mexico and the EU from August 1.

July 15 - Trump says the US will impose a 19 per cent tariff on goods from Indonesia under a new agreement.

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