Trump slams 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea, warns against retaliation

United States President Donald Trump on Monday imposed a 25 percent tariff on imports from Japan and South Korea, alongside new tariff rates on goods from 12 other countries, set to take effect from August 1.

The announcement came via a series of letters posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, addressed to the respective heads of government. 

In the letters, Trump warned against any form of retaliatory action, stating that any increase in import duties by the targeted countries would trigger a corresponding rise in U.S. tariffs.

“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% that we charge,” Trump wrote in the letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

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Though the letters reflect Trump’s hardline stance, they also leave room for future negotiations. The move marks another escalation in Trump’s ongoing trade agenda, which he has made central to his second-term economic policy.

While the White House has not released an official briefing, the president’s latest move has already stirred concerns over its potential impact on global trade and economic stability. 

According to AP News, Analysts fear that the tariffs could dampen global economic growth and push major economies closer to recession.

Still, Trump has remained resolute, arguing that the tariffs are essential for reviving U.S. manufacturing and funding the tax cuts he signed into law last Friday.

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