US President Donald Trump has restarted global trade tensions by announcing a fresh round of tariff threats targeting 14 countries. On Monday, Trump released letters warning that if no trade deals are reached by August 1, higher tariffs, some as high as 40 percent, will be imposed.

The action is part of a broader trade strategy Trump has been pushing since April this year, aiming to pressure countries into fairer trade deals with the US.

Trump’s new tariff list includes countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The harshest tariffs – 40 percent – are aimed at Myanmar and Laos. Other countries facing steep rates include:

  • Thailand, Cambodia – 36%

  • Bangladesh, Serbia – 35%

  • Indonesia – 32%

  • South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 30%

  • Malaysia, Tunisia, Japan, South Korea, Kazakhstan – 25%

While these new tariffs are set to take effect from August 1, they are separate from existing tariffs on specific sectors like steel or automobiles.

Despite the tough stance, Trump signaled that the door for negotiation is still open. “We’ve made a deal with the United Kingdom, we’ve made a deal with China, we’ve made a deal – we’re close to making a deal with India,” Trump said. “Others we met with, we don’t think we’re going to be able to make a deal. So we just send them a letter.”

He also suggested that the August 1 deadline could be flexible. “Maybe adjust a little bit, depending…We’re not going to be unfair,” Trump said, hinting that countries willing to make new offers may still have a chance.

As of now, the US has confirmed trade deals only with the United Kingdom and Vietnam.

In his messages, posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump also made it clear that he would respond to any retaliatory tariffs with matching increases. “If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by will be added onto the 25 percent that we charge,” he warned Japan and South Korea in letters.

For Japan, the new tariff rate was raised to 25 percent, one point higher than the earlier proposal. South Korea’s rate remains unchanged. These new tariffs will not add to previous sector-based tariffs, meaning Japanese auto tariffs, for example, will stay at 25 percent instead of rising to 50 percent.

Trump originally set a deadline for countries to negotiate deals by July 9. However, on Monday, he signed an executive order giving an extension until August 1. This gives targeted nations a bit more time to negotiate trade terms with the US.

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