*Trump Announces Unilateral Tariff Letters as Trade Negotiations Prove Challenging**
Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. will send letters to certain trading partners to unilaterally impose new tariff rates, signaling that the administration may struggle to negotiate individual trade deals.
Speaking at a meeting with business leaders in the United Arab Emirates during his Gulf tour, Trump acknowledged the difficulty of negotiating with multiple countries simultaneously. “We have 150 countries wanting to make deals, but it’s not possible to meet all of them,” he said.
The president stated that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick would soon issue letters informing some trading partners of the new tariff rates they would face when exporting goods to the U.S. “Within the next few weeks, Scott and Howard will send out letters—very fair ones—telling countries what they’ll need to pay to do business in the U.S.,” Trump explained.
It remains unclear whether these tariffs will replace existing ones or represent adjustments—either higher or lower.
Trump’s remarks highlight the challenges his administration faces after imposing broad border taxes on imports from all U.S. trading partners on April 2, dubbed “liberation day.” Since then, Washington has scaled back some measures following market backlash, including pausing “reciprocal” tariffs on the EU, finalizing a tariff-reducing deal with the UK, and agreeing to a 90-day pause with China. A 10% universal tariff on all foreign imports, however, remains in place.
Earlier this week, Trump praised a “total reset” in U.S.-China relations after Beijing agreed to reduce duties on American goods to 10%, while the U.S. lowered its tax on Chinese goods to 30%. The White House is prioritizing talks with major trade partners like India, South Korea, and Japan, while EU negotiations continue.
Yet Trump’s latest comments suggest the administration lacks the capacity to engage with hundreds of countries individually, opting instead to dictate terms unilaterally.
The effects of Trump’s tariff policies are already being felt domestically. Walmart executives warned this week that prices will rise later this month due to increased tariff costs. Meanwhile, Trump has criticized companies, including Apple, for not relocating manufacturing to the U.S. in response to his policies.
The recently announced UK-U.S. trade deal has drawn accusations from China that Britain is aligning too closely with Washington, potentially pressuring UK firms to exclude Chinese products from their supply chains.
The Trump administration has repeatedly claimed that numerous countries are eager to negotiate lower U.S. tariffs, though it has not provided a definitive list. In April, officials cited over 75 countries in discussions, attempting to justify the rollback of previously touted “reciprocal” tariffs #BinanceTGEAlayaAI
