L-Day: President Trump’s tariff targets include the UK, EU, China, and India
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: As US President Donald Trump on Wednesday gave finishing touches to his plans to impose reciprocal tariffs as part of what he believes is America’s “Liberation Day for America trade,” the world waited with bated breath what it would mean for global economy.
He is targeting countries with high duty on US goods, thus escalating global trade tensions and reshaping the world’s commerce, the media reported on Wednesday.
The Trump administration has long argued that existing global trade rules favour other countries at America’s expense. These tariffs, positioned as a strong response, aim at countries that impose high duties on US goods or follow trade policies that Trump’s administration considers unfair.
According to reports, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently labelled a group of nations as the “Dirty 15”, the countries that he said impose steep tariffs and trade barriers against US goods. Although he did not reveal the exact list, the US Commerce Department’s 2024 trade deficit report offers key insights.
The countries with the highest goods trade deficits with the US include: China, the European Union, Mexico, Vietnam, Ireland, Germany, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Canada, India, Thailand, Italy, Switzerland, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
These nations account for a significant portion of the US trade imbalance and are expected to face the most severe tariff hikes.
In addition, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has flagged 21 countries for following trade practices that Washington considers unfair. This broader list includes: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom (UK), and Vietnam.
While Trump’s focus has been on the ‘Dirty 15’, he has hinted that more nations could face trade penalties under his administration’s new economic strategy.
The exact tariff structure is yet to be unveiled, but past policies suggest that the new measures could include: Higher tariffs on key industries such as pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, increased levies on foreign automobiles and auto parts, taking effect from April 4, and new trade barriers targeting manufactured goods from countries with large trade surpluses with the US.
Trump has previously imposed broad tariffs on steel and aluminium, levies on foreign cars, and targeted duties on Chinese goods. The upcoming measures are expected to expand those policies while focusing on countries with a significant trade surplus against the US.
