Standing in the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump declared what he called “Liberation Day”, announcing a raft of tariffs on U.S. trading partners — the most expansive use of trade powers in modern American history.
“Hard-working American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines while other nations got rich… Now it’s our turn,” Trump said, holding up a chart of reciprocal levies targeting more than 60 countries.
A 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. imports takes effect this Saturday, with harsher, customised tariffs for countries with what the White House called “massive non-tariff barriers.”
White House documents list steep new tariffs, many of them on top of existing duties. Among the highest:
🇨🇳 China: 54%
🇻🇳 Vietnam: 46%
🇮🇳 India: 26%
🇹🇼 Taiwan: 32%
🇯🇵 Japan: 24%
🇰🇷 South Korea: 25%
🇪🇺 European Union: 20%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: 10%
🇰🇭 Cambodia: 49%
Canada and Mexico are temporarily exempt from the new plan, as existing 25% tariffs tied to fentanyl and migration remain in place.
Steel, aluminium, auto parts, and pharmaceuticals already subject to tariffs will be exempt. So will energy, copper, semiconductors, and bullion not sourced domestically.
Inside Trump’s Cabinet, officials rallied around the policy.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it “strong action to make America safe again.”
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz echoed Trump’s framing: “Economic security is national security.”
Speaker Mike Johnson said the U.S. “will not be exploited by unfair trade practices anymore.”
But Wall Street reacted less enthusiastically.
Nasdaq futures fell 2.5%
FTSE 100 slid 0.7%
Brent crude dropped 1% before stabilising
Gold hit a new record above $3,100/oz as investors fled to safety
Auto stocks slumped across the board — Ford, GM, Stellantis and Tesla all saw losses in after-hours trading.
British officials are portraying the 10% tariff on UK exports as “a good outcome” — relieved to have avoided the harsher penalties levied on the EU.
“Nobody wants a trade war,” said Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who confirmed the UK would “keep calm, keep negotiating.”
“But nothing is off the table… we will act if needed.”
Trump’s strategy is a throwback to protectionist America — invoking pre-1913 tariff policies, and blaming the Great Depression on the abandonment of that model.
“We used to be a tariff-backed nation. We were the richest we’ve ever been,” Trump said.
“This isn’t full reciprocal. This is kind reciprocal.”
But economists warn that retaliation is coming, and fast.
“This is worse than we feared,” said Mary Lovely of the Peterson Institute.
“The consequences for global trade routes could be huge.”
The Peterson Institute and other analysts expect consumer prices to rise, particularly in electronics, food, textiles, and transport. Supply chains may fragment as nations reroute trade flows away from U.S. ports.
By invoking a national emergency and using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Trump bypassed Congress and seized executive control over trade.
The move is both strategic and risky:
The economic pain could come fast.
The political gain, if any, could take years.
“We are being kind,” Trump said. “But if they want to lower their barriers, we’ll talk. If not, they’ll pay.”
The Pentagon’s internal debate over restructuring key military commands — including potentially ending the U.S. monopoly over NATO’s top post — has raised red flags among generals and lawmakers alike, amid growing unease in Europe.
Danish jeweler Pandora estimates that U.S. tariffs could cost the company around 1.2 billion crowns ($178 million) annually. While some mitigation is possible, Pandora is exploring further measures, including price adjustments and supply chain changes, to reduce the financial burden.
The British driver dismissed rumors about losing faith in the team, emphasizing that success will take time as he adjusts to a new environment in his first season with Ferrari.
The Bulgarian government, headed by Rosen Zhelyazkov, overcame a no-confidence vote initiated over its foreign policy.
TikTok’s fate in the United States is once again hanging in the balance, as a looming deadline threatens to force a sale—or trigger a nationwide ban—amid a flurry of last-minute bids and high-stakes political maneuvering.
The Pentagon’s internal debate over restructuring key military commands — including potentially ending the U.S. monopoly over NATO’s top post — has raised red flags among generals and lawmakers alike, amid growing unease in Europe.
President Trump’s new tariffs hit 185 countries, with Kazakhstan facing the highest rate at 27%. Kazakhstan now seeks talks with U.S. officials to ease the impact.
The U.S. has pressured Lebanon to act against Hezbollah, urging the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enforce a ceasefire. The LAF, caught between U.S. demands and Hezbollah’s influence, risks losing vital U.S. support if it fails to act.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher is set to visit Myanmar on Friday, following the country’s devastating earthquake. The U.N. is urging for urgent international assistance and unhindered aid access as the region grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.
Wall Street’s major indexes tumbled sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on key trade partners triggered fears of a trade war and global recession. Investors reacted with panic, sending markets into a steep decline.
Aid groups in Myanmar’s worst-hit areas urgently need shelter, food, and water after a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed over 2,700 people. Rescue efforts face challenges due to ongoing civil war, damaged infrastructure, and restricted aid access, with the toll expected to rise.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
The Armenian armed forces attempted three reconnaissance drone flights over Azerbaijan Army positions near Gerenzur, but all were successfully intercepted. Meanwhile, Armenian units repeatedly fired on Azerbaijani positions from multiple regions, escalating tensions in the area.
Apple marked its 49th anniversary by reaching a market capitalization of $3.3 trillion. Despite recent tech stock volatility, Apple's shares surged 28% in 2024.
The Pentagon’s internal debate over restructuring key military commands — including potentially ending the U.S. monopoly over NATO’s top post — has raised red flags among generals and lawmakers alike, amid growing unease in Europe.
President Trump’s new tariffs hit 185 countries, with Kazakhstan facing the highest rate at 27%. Kazakhstan now seeks talks with U.S. officials to ease the impact.
The U.S. has pressured Lebanon to act against Hezbollah, urging the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enforce a ceasefire. The LAF, caught between U.S. demands and Hezbollah’s influence, risks losing vital U.S. support if it fails to act.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher is set to visit Myanmar on Friday, following the country’s devastating earthquake. The U.N. is urging for urgent international assistance and unhindered aid access as the region grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.
Six people have died and several are missing after a violent clash between two mining groups in Bolivia, highlighting growing tensions over gold mining in the region.
The Pentagon’s internal debate over restructuring key military commands — including potentially ending the U.S. monopoly over NATO’s top post — has raised red flags among generals and lawmakers alike, amid growing unease in Europe.
President Trump’s new tariffs hit 185 countries, with Kazakhstan facing the highest rate at 27%. Kazakhstan now seeks talks with U.S. officials to ease the impact.
The U.S. has pressured Lebanon to act against Hezbollah, urging the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enforce a ceasefire. The LAF, caught between U.S. demands and Hezbollah’s influence, risks losing vital U.S. support if it fails to act.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher is set to visit Myanmar on Friday, following the country’s devastating earthquake. The U.N. is urging for urgent international assistance and unhindered aid access as the region grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.
Wall Street’s major indexes tumbled sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on key trade partners triggered fears of a trade war and global recession. Investors reacted with panic, sending markets into a steep decline.
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