Trump’s tariff comes into force and reaches dozens of countries

The measure was valid four months after Trump announced plans to import tariffs on various partners. With taxation of 50%, Brazil is officially the country best reached by the decree.

Dozens of countries and territories have faced since midnight on Thursday (07/07) the tariff imposed by the President of the United States, Donald Trump. From now on, imported products for American territory will have higher rates. With a 50%tax, Brazil ended up being the most hit country so far.

Signed on July 30 and targeting in more than 60 countries, in addition to the European Union, the measure comes into force four months after Trump has announced, for the first time, plans for importing tariffs on various partners, arguing the search for new commercial agreements in all areas.

Shortly before the new tariffs officialized, he spoke on social networks, saying that “billions of dollars would start to flow to the US.”

“The only thing that can prevent the greatness of the United States would be a radical left court that wants to see our country fails,” he wrote, with secret letters, referring to a case that runs in the US Appeals Court, where he is evaluated if Trump exceeded his authority when importing tariffs.

The US government believes that the imposition of rates will pave a new and positive way to a larger economy in the world, boosting new investments and labor hiring that would lead the US to be an even more robust industrial power.

So far, however, data indicates that the American economy has slowed since Trump’s announcement on April 2, which called “Liberation Day”, arguing that the world had been looted the US for decades.

The contraction in the American GDP was 0.5% in the first quarter of this year, second data released in June by the United States Department of Commerce.

The fact is that since the signing of the decree that has officialized the imposition of new fees last week, governments around the world seek agreements to avoid high tax payments in the customs, arguing that this can be determined investors and cause unemployment.

Brazil follows as more affected

With 50% rates for imported Brazilian products, Brazil turned out to be the same country most affected by Trump’s tariff. Still, about 700 products are exempt from tariffs. According to experts, this still puts the average rate on Brazilian products around 30%, while the EU and Japan, for example, were charged by 15%.

In addition to the alleged imbalances in bilateral trade, the Trump government also cites the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, chaired by the Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, as an application for the evaluations.

The imposition of punitive tariffs to the Brazilian economy and the evaluations against Moraes caused strong reactions in Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva classified American interference in the Brazilian judiciary as “unacceptable”. The political motivation behind the measures, said Lula, Mina the national sovereignty of Brazil and the historical relationship between the two countries.

On Wednesday, Lula said he will talk to the BRICS leaders about the United States taxation to products from the group member countries. In an interview with Reuters news agency published on Wednesday, he said he intends to call India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China President Xi Jinping.

Lula said Brazil does not intend to announce reciprocal tariffs and will not give up on commercial negotiations, even if you see no opening for trading with Trump at this time.

“I didn’t care because he doesn’t want to call. I don’t have to call President Trump, because in the letters he sent and in his decisions he doesn’t speak at any time in negotiation, what he says is in new threats,” said Lula.

Posted by DW on 07/08/2025