US President Donald Trump: Plan for reciprocal tariffs in the works

US President hit the wires on Thursday, revealing details of his concepts of a plan for reciprocal tariffs against all major trading partners of the US who impose tariffs and also non-tariffs on goods imported from the US. According to President Trump, the US administration will also be considering countries that charge a VAT on foreign goods as a form of tariff. Specific details about the reciprocal tariff proposal remain slim, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been tapped to actually flesh out the details moving forward. President Trump also highlighted the need to address "non-monetary tariffs", an economic concept that does not exist.

Key highlights

I have decided to charge a reciprocal tariff.

We'll consider countries that use VAT tax system.

VAT tax will be viewed as a tariff.

We're going to call it a tariff.

They’re charging us vastly more than we charge them.

Provisions will be made for non-monetary tariffs.

Lutnick will come up with numbers equivalent to those limitations and other non-tariff barriers.

Lutnick will be working on reciprocal plan.

Other countries can reduce tariffs or eliminate.

No tariffs if manufacture or build product in the US.

We want to level playing field for all US companies.

Asked treasury, commerce chiefs to work on reciprocity.

Steel and aluminum is over and above this.

Car tariffs will be over and above reciprocal tariffs, and coming shortly.

This will be over and above steel tariffs also cars and pharmaceuticals.

Chips and pharma will also be over and above.