Trump's Global Tariffs: What You Need to Know About 'Liberation Day'
- gabriele9146
- Apr 3
- 8 min read
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled expansive new 'Liberation Day' tariffs for more than 200 countries, raising the global trade war to a new level. In this article, we summarise Trump’s on-and-off tariff war with the closest trading partners and explain what was revealed at the White House this week.
Timeline of Trump's On-and-Off Tariffs
Donald Trump began the global trade war just as he entered the Office. On the day of his inauguration, Trump revealed plans to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, the U.S.'s top three trading partners, which account for more than 40% of all U.S. goods traded, valued at $2 trillion. Here’s a timeline of notable events that occurred since then.
February 1. Trump order tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to start on February 4. Canada announces retaliatory 25% tariffs.
February 3. Trump delays tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a month for further negotiations.
February 4. A 10% tariff for China begin. China responds with retaliatory tariffs: 15% on coal and liquified natural gas products and 10% on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-displacement cars.
February 10. Trump reveals plans to impose 25% tariffs on steel imports from ALL countries, raising aluminium tariffs from 10% to 25%.
February 13. Trump signs a memorandum that sets the stage for April 2, when he plans to reveal tariffs for all countries.
February 26. As discussions with Canada and Mexico occur, Trump reveals considering delaying tariffs for the neighbouring countries until April 2.
February 27. Trump changes his mind: tariffs on Canada and Mexico will come into effect on March 4.
March 1: Trump orders to increase U.S. lumber production and commands a probe into potential lumber import tariffs.
March 4: Trump imposes 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and raises levies on Chinese goods from 10% to 20%. China responds with a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, and a 10% tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, effective March 10.
March 5: Trump grants U.S. automakers a one-month reprieve from the import tariffs he imposed on Canada and Mexico. The tariffs are delayed until April 2.
March 6: Two days after putting 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, Trump changes his mind and delays it until April 2.
March 12. The European Union and Canada announced billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. The EU sets the deadline to April 1 to allow enough time for negotiations with the U.S. President.
March 13. Trump threatens European leaders with a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes and alcoholic products from the European Union.
March 24. Trump pressures all countries that purchase oil from Venezuela to stop; otherwise, they face 25% tariffs on their exports to the U.S. from April 2.
March 26. Trump announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all cars and car parts that are shipped into the U.S., including American companies whose cars are assembled abroad.
April 2. Trump’s so-called 'Liberation Day'.
'Liberation Day' Tariffs: Explained
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled expansive new tariffs, raising the self-inflicted trade war to a new level. Calling April 2 "Liberation Day," Trump referred to this historic move during his speech at the White House Rose Garden as a "Declaration of Economic Independence".
Stating his vision to "Make America Wealthy Again", Trump revealed a 10% tariff on all imports to the United States. Additionally, "reciprocal tariffs" on more than 200 countries, including high rates on major trading partners such as China (54% in total), Japan (24%) and the European Union (20%). The 10% for all countries will come into effect on April 5, and the "reciprocal tariffs" will be on April 9.
During his speech, Trump demonstrated a chart with three columns: the country’s name, tariffs charged to the U.S.A. (including currency manipulation and trade barriers), and the U.S.A. discounted reciprocal tariffs. The President explained that the "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariffs would be approximately half of what each country charges the U.S. According to CNN, "it’s unclear precisely how the administration arrived at those numbers". As a result, many countries on the list will only face a base rate of 10% tariff, while Canada and Mexico, surprisingly, were spared from new tariffs.
Full list of Trump's new tariffs, including "reciprocal tariffs":
China: 34% (charges U.S. 67%) — bringing the total tariff rate to 54%
European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden): 20% (charges U.S. 39%)
Vietnam: 46% (charges U.S 90%)
Taiwan: 32% (charges U.S. 64%)
Japan: 24% (charges U.S. 46%)
India: 26% (charges U.S. 52%)
South Korea: 25% (charges U.S. 50%)
Thailand: 36% (charges U.S. 72%)
Switzerland: 31% (charges U.S. 61%)
Indonesia: 32% (charges U.S. 64%)
Malaysia: 24% (charges U.S. 47%)
Cambodia: 49% (charges U.S. 97%)
United Kingdom: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
South Africa: 30% (charges U.S. 60%)
Brazil: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bangladesh: 37% (charges U.S. 74%)
Singapore: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Israel: 17% (charges U.S. 33%)
Philippines: 17% (charges U.S. 34%)
Chile: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Australia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Pakistan: 29% (charges U.S. 58%)
Turkey: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Sri Lanka: 44% (charges U.S. 88%)
Colombia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Peru: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Nicaragua: 18% (charges U.S. 36%)
Norway: 15% (charges U.S. 30%)
Costa Rica: 10% (charges U.S. 17%)
Jordan: 20% (charges U.S. 40%)
Dominican Republic: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
United Arab Emirates: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
New Zealand: 10% (charges U.S. 20%)
Argentina: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Ecuador: 10% (charges U.S. 12%)
Guatemala: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Honduras: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Madagascar: 47% (charges U.S. 93%)
Myanmar (Burma): 44% (charges U.S. 88%)
Tunisia: 28% (charges U.S. 55%)
Kazakhstan: 27% (charges U.S. 54%)
Serbia: 37% (charges U.S. 74%)
Egypt: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saudi Arabia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
El Salvador: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Côte d’Ivoire: 21% (charges U.S. 41%)
Laos: 48% (charges U.S. 95%)
Botswana: 37% (charges U.S. 74%)
Trinidad and Tobago: 10% (charges U.S. 12%)
Morocco: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Algeria: 30% (charges U.S. 59%)
Oman: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Uruguay: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bahamas: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Lesotho: 50% (charges U.S. 99%)
Ukraine: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bahrain: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Qatar: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Mauritius: 40% (charges U.S. 80%)
Fiji: 32% (charges U.S. 63%)
Iceland: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Kenya: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Liechtenstein: 37% (charges U.S. 73%)
Guyana: 38% (charges U.S. 76%)
Haiti: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 35% (charges U.S. 70%)
Nigeria: 14% (charges U.S. 27%)
Namibia: 21% (charges U.S. 42%)
Brunei: 24% (charges U.S. 47%)
Bolivia: 10% (charges U.S. 20%)
Panama: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Venezuela: 15% (charges U.S. 29%)
North Macedonia: 33% (charges U.S. 65%)
Ethiopia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Ghana: 10% (charges U.S. 17%)
Moldova: 31% (charges U.S. 61%)
Angola: 32% (charges U.S. 63%)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 11% (charges U.S. 22%)
Jamaica: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Mozambique: 16% (charges U.S. 31%)
Paraguay: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Zambia: 17% (charges U.S. 33%)
Lebanon: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Tanzania: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Iraq: 39% (charges U.S. 78%)
Georgia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Senegal: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Azerbaijan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Cameroon: 11% (charges U.S. 22%)
Uganda: 10% (charges U.S. 20%)
Albania: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Armenia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Nepal: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Sint Maarten: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Falkland Islands: 41% (charges U.S. 82%)
Gabon: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Kuwait: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Togo: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Suriname: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Belize: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Papua New Guinea: 10% (charges U.S. 15%)
Malawi: 17% (charges U.S. 34%)
Liberia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
British Virgin Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Afghanistan: 10% (charges U.S. 49%)
Zimbabwe: 18% (charges U.S. 35%)
Benin: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Barbados: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Monaco: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Syria: 41% (charges U.S. 81%)
Uzbekistan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Republic of the Congo: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Djibouti: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
French Polynesia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Cayman Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Kosovo: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Curaçao: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Vanuatu: 22% (charges U.S. 44%)
Rwanda: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Sierra Leone: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Mongolia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
San Marino: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Antigua and Barbuda: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bermuda: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Eswatini: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Marshall Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 50% (charges U.S. 99%)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Turkmenistan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Grenada: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Sudan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Turks and Caicos Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Aruba: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Montenegro: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Helena: 10% (charges U.S. 15%)
Kyrgyzstan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Yemen: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Niger: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Lucia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Nauru: 30% (charges U.S. 59%)
Equatorial Guinea: 13% (charges U.S. 25%)
Iran: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Libya: 31% (charges U.S. 61%)
Samoa: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Guinea: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Timor-Leste: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Montserrat: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Chad: 13% (charges U.S. 26%)
Mali: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Maldives: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Tajikistan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Cabo Verde: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Burundi: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Guadeloupe: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Bhutan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Martinique: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Tonga: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Mauritania: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Dominica: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Micronesia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Gambia: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
French Guiana: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Christmas Island: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Andorra: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Central African Republic: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Solomon Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Mayotte: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Anguilla: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Eritrea: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Cook Islands: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
South Sudan: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Comoros: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Kiribati: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
São Tomé and Príncipe: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Palau: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Wallis and Futuna: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Barthelemy: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Saint Martin (French part): 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
American Samoa: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Fiji: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Tuvalu: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
Vanuatu: 10% (charges U.S. 10%)
What’s Next?
The new tariffs will affect almost all countries in the world, with some economies being hit harder than others. As of today, the new 10% tariff on all U.S. imports will begin on April 5, while the "reciprocal tariffs" list is scheduled to come into effect on April 9. Many nations have already expressed their dissatisfaction with Trump’s strategy; some say that they will respond by imposing additional tariffs on the U.S.
But that is not all. On Wednesday, Trump announced the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on all foreign-made automobiles, effective April 3. Additionally, from May 2, the 54% tariff rate will be applied to packages worth less than 800 dollars coming to the U.S. from China and Hong Kong, increasing prices for American consumers.
It is impossible to estimate the full scale of the impact that will be caused by Trump’s new tariffs around the world, but one thing is certain—prices will rise for Americans and almost everyone else in the world, at least in the short term.
If you feel baffled by the situation, remember that the KATA Global Logistics team is always here to assist you—whether you do business with the U.S. or not. We work with clients shipping via ocean, air, rail, or road freight daily, dealing with regulations, customs, and tax compliance.
Contact KATA today for professional advice!
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