President Donald Trump has officially launched the most aggressive trade crackdown in nearly a century — and he’s not backing down. On Thursday, the White House enacted sweeping tariffs on more than 60 countries, pushing average import taxes to 18.3%, the highest level since 1934.
Critics call it risky. Supporters call it America First in action.
European Union nations, Japan, and South Korea now face a 15% import tax. Taiwan, Vietnam, and Bangladesh were hit even harder with a 20% rate. India was slapped with a whopping 50% combined tariff as Trump responded to its continued oil deals with Russia. Canada was also hit with 35% tariffs over what Trump called a failure to crack down on cross-border drug trafficking.
Trump has made it clear: these tariffs are about more than economics — they’re about leverage, sovereignty, and justice. The tariffs on Brazil, for instance, are tied to the trial of Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro. As Trump said, America will not trade freely with countries that betray their promises or enable lawlessness.
While economists warn of short-term pain — including higher prices and supply chain headaches — the Trump administration remains confident. Officials argue that the tariffs will drive American companies to reinvest, rebuild, and rehire, making the U.S. less dependent on hostile or unreliable foreign partners.
Global markets responded with cautious optimism. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones futures both edged up, while Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.7%. Despite media panic, Wall Street hasn’t blinked — a sign Trump’s bold gamble might just pay off.
This is a historic economic pivot — and it’s only just begun. For President Trump, the message to the world is simple: Respect America, or pay the price.
