#Late in the night, US #President Donald Trump declared on social media that his newly announced tariffs would generate billions of dollars for the American economy.
While such duties make foreign goods costlier and less competitive, the reality is that these fees are paid at the time of import — and in most cases, the higher cost is eventually passed down to U.S. buyers.
$TRUMP , writing in bold capital letters, claimed that the “only obstacle to America’s success” would be a left-leaning court aiming to undermine the country. His remark referred to an ongoing U.S. Court of Appeals case reviewing whether he overstepped his presidential powers by introducing what he calls “reciprocal” tariffs.
The #updated tariff structure now applies varying rates — for example, 39% on goods from conflict-hit Syria and 12% on imports from the United Kingdom — with these figures added on top of pre-existing import taxes. Brazil faces a “reciprocal” rate of 12%, but an additional 38% charge, introduced through an executive order linked to legal proceedings involving former President Jair Bolsonaro, raises the total duty to 50%.
The European Union is the only major trading partner with a negotiated arrangement: its 16% base tariff will replace, rather than stack on top of, older duties. This means items like cheese, which would normally face a 15% import charge, will now be taxed at 16% instead of more than 30%.
Since the announcement at the end of last week, governments worldwide have been urgently seeking agreements to avoid these border taxes, fearing they could drive away foreign investors, reduce trade volumes, and lead to significant job losses.