President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on imports from Japan and South Korea starting August 1, marking the beginning of what he described as “a wave of letters” to trading partners outlining new trade measures.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed during a briefing that Trump plans to post formal trade letters to 12 countries on his Truth Social platform. “These letters outline the tariffs they can expect and will be made public by President Trump himself,” Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt also noted that Trump would sign an executive order later in the day, pushing the previously scheduled July 9 tariff deadline to August 1.
Five More Countries Hit With New Tariffs
Following his announcement targeting Japan and South Korea, Trump unveiled a fresh round of tariff hikes on five additional countries: Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Laos, and South Africa.
Under the new measures:
- Malaysia and Kazakhstan will be hit with 25% tariffs on exports such as electronics, energy, and industrial metals.
- Myanmar and Laos will face a 40% tariff on all goods.
- South Africa will be subject to a 30% tariff.
The moves were announced through a series of signed letters addressed to each country’s leadership and posted on Trump’s Truth Social account.
“Any Retaliation Will Cost You More,” Trump Warns
In the letters, Trump cautioned that retaliatory tariffs from affected nations would provoke even higher duties from the U.S.
“If you choose to raise your tariffs on American products, we will match and add your increase to our own rate,” he wrote.
The expanded trade measures signal Trump’s renewed emphasis on aggressive tariff policies, which were a hallmark of his first term. With more letters expected to be released in the coming days, U.S. trading partners are bracing for a possible escalation in global trade tensions.
