Trump sends more letters dictating high tariff rates around the world

President Donald Trump on Wednesday sent letters dictating new U.S. tariff rates on at least seven more countries’ imports, leaning into his aggressive approach to resetting America’s global trade relationships.

The latest letters, revealed by Trump via Truth Social screenshots, were sent to the leaders of the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Sri Lanka.

Trump had teased the announcement Tuesday evening, writing on social media that he “will be releasing a minimum of 7 Countries” on Wednesday morning and an “additional number of Countries” in the afternoon.

The new round comes two days after Trump first shared letters telling 14 countries’ leaders that their exports to the U.S. would face steep new tariffs starting Aug. 1.

The nearly identical two-page letters signed by Trump on Monday were sent to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Laos, Myanmar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Cambodia and Thailand.

The tariff rates for the 21 countries targeted so far range from 20% to 40%. The letters note that the U.S. will “perhaps” consider adjusting the new tariff levels, “depending on our relationship with your Country.”

The letters all say that the tariffs are “far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your country.” Trump frequently claims that trade deficits show the U.S. is being taken advantage of, though many experts disagree.

A number of the countries that have received letters so far are relatively minor U.S. trading partners. And while the U.S. has trade deficits with all of them, some of those gaps are minuscule.

For instance, America’s trade deficit with Moldova in 2024 totaled just $85 million, according to U.S. data.

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Many of the new rates are close to what Trump had imposed as part of his “liberation day” tariff rollout on April 2, which set a 10% baseline levy for nearly all countries on earth and slapped much higher duties on dozens of individual nations.

That announcement sparked a week of turmoil in global trading markets, which only ended when Trump abruptly said he would pause those higher rates for 90 days.

That reprieve was set to expire Wednesday. But on Monday, Trump signed an executive order delaying the tariff deadline until Aug. 1.

In another post earlier Tuesday, Trump asserted that “there will be no change” to the August start date.

“No extensions will be granted,” he said.