Standing at a podium in the Rose Garden, flanked by flags and CEOs, President Donald Trump launched what he called the most important economic policy shift in decades: a nationwide tariff reset that reorders America’s trading relationships overnight.
“We are finally putting America first,” Trump said. “This is our declaration of economic independence.”
The New Tariff Plan — In Full
- 🚨 10% baseline tariff on all imports from all countries
– Effective Saturday, April 5, 12:01 a.m. ET
– Applies to everything not covered by USMCA (non-compliant goods still face 25%) - 🔁 “Reciprocal Rate” tariffs on the worst trade offenders, starting April 9
– Formula: Half the rate those countries charge the U.S. - 🚗 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars, effective tonight at midnight
- 💰 Tariff revenue will be used to lower U.S. taxes and pay down national debt
Trump said, “Reciprocal means fair. If you hit us with 40%, we hit back at 20%. That’s the rule now.”
Full List: New U.S. Reciprocal Tariffs by Country
🗣️ Key Trump Quotes from Today’s Speech
“We are finally putting America first.”
“This is our declaration of economic independence.”
“Jobs and factories will come back.”
“The tariffs will lower prices for American consumers.”
“We’re going to take care of our people first.”
“We can be wealthier than any nation — we’re just getting smart now.”“We’re done being the world’s punching bag, If you tax us more, we tax you back.”
On autos:
“Horrendous trade imbalances have devastated our industrial base and put our national security at risk. That ends tonight.”
Economic Implications
- Inflation: short-term pressure likely
- Supply chains: will shift, especially in autos and tech
- Corporate earnings: vulnerable for multinationals
- Global trade: EU, China, and Japan expected to respond swiftly
- 2025 elections: tariffs now central to Trump’s economic pitch
“For years, Americans sat on the sidelines while others got rich. Now it’s our turn to prosper,” Trump said.
What’s Next
- April 5: 10% baseline tariffs begin
- April 9: Reciprocal country-specific tariffs go live
- Auto tariffs (25%) begin tonight
- Trade retaliation & WTO complaints highly likely in coming days
Trump’s tariff plan isn’t rhetoric — it’s rule now. With a stroke of the pen, the president has upended decades of global trade policy, weaponized import duties, and put the world on notice:
“America won’t be your discount bin anymore.”
Trump cited the USTR Foreign Trade Barriers Report, released Wednesday, as the data source guiding the reciprocal percentages.
“They tax our stuff like crazy, then dump their products in our stores. That ends now.”
The Strategy
Trump says the tariffs will:
- Bring back jobs
- Rebuild U.S. factories
- Lower prices long-term by reshoring supply chains
Economists disagree. Most say it will raise consumer prices, hit earnings, and trigger global retaliation.
“This is the biggest protectionist pivot since World War II,” said one trade lobbyist.
This isn’t just another tariff announcement. This is Trump going full tariff doctrine — in real time — with cameras rolling.
Markets are sliding. CEOs are dialing lawyers. Allies are calculating responses. And investors are bracing for what “reciprocal” means next.
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