By Kashifa Wisal
In an address before a Joint Session of Congress, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his government would start the imposition of equal tariffs on the imports from those nations which set high tariffs for U.S. exports. It will begin being implemented from April 2 in order to provide a fair environment for its businesses worldwide. Trump made sure to state this decision to show his continuous outrage against foreign nations’ unjust business practices, with specific examples given for India, China, and members of the European Union.
Trump’s comment was a confirmation of his sense that most countries have been unfair in the way they’ve treated American products with tariffs for a long time. “On average, the countries such as the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Canada have been taxing us very unfairly higher rates of tariffs than we are charging them,” Trump explained. “It’s highly unfair.” Trump highlighted India specifically, citing how India charges higher-than-100-percent auto tariffs.
The call by the President for retaliatory tariffs follows a series of high-profile tariff battles with various countries. Trump emphasized that the U.S., from April 2, would reciprocate the tariff rate that other nations imposed on American products, effectively echoing their trade policy. “Whatever they tariff us, other nations, we will tariff them. That’s reciprocal—back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them,” Trump said.
The move is the newest installment in Trump’s forceful trade agenda, which already has the U.S. putting tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, ranging from balancing trade deficits to worries about unlawful immigration and drug smuggling. These measures have elicited stern disapproval from close American allies.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to the increasing tensions by criticizing Trump’s position, which he said was attempting to destroy Canada’s economy while not being held responsible for Russia’s conduct in Ukraine. He further voiced his worry about Trump’s attention on U.S. allies while the administration continued to pursue dealings with hostile regimes.
With the looming new tariff policies, global leaders will probably keep examining the effect of Trump’s trade policies, which have already generated intense debate on their long-term implications for international trade.