On April 2, 2025,

United States president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

held a

White House Rose Garden The White House Rose Garden is a garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., United States. The garden is approximately 125 feet long and 60 feet wide ( by , or about 684m2). It balances the Jacqueli ...

ceremony where he announced what he called a " reciprocal tariff" strategy, which he had previously promised and described as necessary to correct what he characterized as decades of unfair trading relationships that disadvantaged American manufacturers and workers. He called April 2 "Liberation Day" and described it as "one of the most important days in

American history The history of the present-day United States began in roughly 15,000 BC with the arrival of Peopling of the Americas, the first people in the Americas. In the late 15th century, European colonization of the Americas, European colonization beg ...

." The newly planned

tariff A tariff or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...

s have sometimes been referred to as the "Liberation Day" tariffs. During the event, Trump signed Executive Order 14257, which outlined extensive global tariff policies which he described as the United States' "declaration of economic independence". The announcement of the order marked the beginning of a global

trade war A trade war is an economic conflict often resulting from extreme protectionism, in which states raise or implement tariffs or other trade barriers against each other as part of their commercial policies, in response to similar measures imposed ...

and triggered a global stock market crash. The tariffs also have a disproportionate impact on

small businesses Small businesses are types of corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships which have a small number of employees and/or less annual revenue than a regular-sized business or corporation. Businesses are defined as "small" in terms of being ...

, driving many to take radical measures, including

layoff A layoff or downsizing is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees (collective layoff) for business reasons, such as personnel management or downsizing an organization ...

s and emergency liquidation of inventory, and even bankruptcy. On May 28, a panel of judges on the

United States Court of International Trade The United States Court of International Trade (case citations: Ct. Int'l Trade), or CIT, is a U.S. federal court that adjudicates civil actions arising out of U.S. customs and international trade laws. Seated in Lower Manhattan, New York City, ...

ruled Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing most of the tariffs and ordered them vacated. The decision was stayed by the

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (in case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is one of the 13 United States courts of appeals. It has special appellate jurisdiction over certain categories of cases in the U.S. federa ...

, allowing the tariffs to remain in effect.

Background

Prior to the "Liberation Day" announcement, Trump had implemented several tariff policies since returning to office in January 2025. These included duties on

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

and

aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

imports, as well as tariffs targeting specific countries such as

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. The administration had also announced a 25% tariff on imported

automobiles A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

and

automotive parts This is a list of auto parts, which are manufactured components of automobiles. This list reflects both fossil-fueled cars (using internal combustion engines) and electric vehicles; the list is not exhaustive. Many of these parts are also used o ...

scheduled to take effect at midnight on April 3, 2025. These previous measures had already increased the average U.S. tariff rate to approximately 12%, the highest level since

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

according to Deutsche Bank Research.

Tariff announcement

In the

address on April 2, 2025, Trump declared that April 2 was "Liberation Day," describing the announcement as "one of the most important days in American history" and "our declaration of economic independence." The president unveiled a two-tier tariff structure: a baseline 10% tariff applied universally to imports from all countries with the exception of Canada and Mexico, and additional country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs based on what the administration deemed unfair trade practices by approximately 60 individual nations. The 10% baseline tariff would begin at 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2025 (04:01 UTC), while the higher country-specific rates would commence at 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 9, 2025. Trump declared a national emergency to address what he described as a "large and persistent U.S. trade deficit", enabling him to invoke the

IEEPA The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Title II of , is a United States federal law authorizing the president to regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency in response to any unusual and extraordinary ...

to impose a 10% tariff on all imports to the US, effective April 5, 2025. He also announced higher tariffs on approximately 60 countries and territories set to begin April 9. The White House confirmed that these tariffs would be applied in addition to existing measures on Chinese imports, resulting in an effective tariff rate of 54% on Chinese goods after April 9, 2025. The tariffs would apply to more than 100 trading partners. However, they would not impact products already subject to previous tariff actions, including steel, aluminum, vehicles, and vehicle parts. Energy products and certain

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...

s "not available in the United States" were also exempted. Among the highest tariff rates announced included: *

: 125% *

Lesotho Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclave and exclave, enclaves in the world, t ...

: 50% *

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

: 49% *

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

: 46% *

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

: 44% *

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

: 37% *

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

: 36% *

: 34% (in addition to existing 20% levies) *

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

: 32% *

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

: 32% *

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

: 31% *

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

: 30% *

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

: 29% *

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

: 26% *

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

: 25% *

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

: 24% Among the lowest: *

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

: 20% *

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

17% *

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

: 10% *

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

: 10% *

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

: 10% *

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

: 10% Many countries get the lowest tariff rate of 10%, except for 0% on the heavily sanctioned Russia and North Korea. The $800

de minimis ''De minimis'' is a legal doctrine by which a court refuses to consider trifling matters. The name of the doctrine is a Latin expression meaning "pertaining to minimal things" or "with trifles", normally in the terms ("The praetor does not conce ...

threshold for duty-free imports from China was eliminated, effective May 2, with plans to eliminate this threshold for other countries once administrative capacity was established. The elimination of this exemption would take effect on May 2, 2025. The minimum fee would gradually rise to $50 per shipment, making direct individual consumer purchases of most goods uneconomical.

"Liberation Day" speech

During the speech, Trump framed the tariffs as being in response to a "

national emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...

," asserting they would boost domestic production and create American jobs. He stated, "We're going to start being smart, and we're going to start being very wealthy again," claiming the new policy would generate "trillions and trillions of dollars to reduce our

taxes A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...

and pay down our

national debt A country's gross government debt (also called public debt or sovereign debt) is the financial liabilities of the government sector. Changes in government debt over time reflect primarily borrowing due to past government deficits. A deficit occ ...

." He cited a US$1.2 trillion

trade deficit Balance of trade is the difference between the monetary value of a nation's exports and imports of goods over a certain time period. Sometimes, trade in services is also included in the balance of trade but the official IMF definition only consi ...

from the previous year as evidence of unfair global trading practices. The president characterized his approach to the tariff implementation as "kind," explaining that the government would only charge other countries half of what

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. ** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...

calculations suggested he should apply based on the trade practices of the impacted nations. When describing the rates during his speech, Trump displayed a chart showing "reciprocal" tariff rates for almost all other countries and territories. Associated

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

materials indicated that calculations included assessments of "

currency manipulation Currency intervention, also known as foreign exchange market intervention or currency manipulation, is a monetary policy operation. It occurs when a government or central bank buys or sells foreign currency in exchange for its own domestic cur ...

and

trade barrier Trade barriers are government-induced restrictions on international trade. According to the comparative advantage, theory of comparative advantage, trade barriers are detrimental to the world economy and decrease overall economic efficiency. Most ...

s" imposed by other countries, though the specific formula was not disclosed. He offered trading partners a straightforward alternative: "Terminate your own tariffs. Drop your barriers." and summarized his tariff policy as: "If you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America."

List of tariffs imposed

{, class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" , +{{No wrap, Countries and territories affected by and percentages of the "Liberation Day" tariffs !Country or territory !Percentage , - , {{flag, Afghanistan , 10% , - , {{flag, Albania , 10% , - , {{flag, Algeria , 30% , - , {{flag, Andorra , 10% , - , {{flag, Angola , 32% , - , {{flag, Anguilla , 10% , - , {{flag, Antigua and Barbuda , 10% , - , {{flag, Argentina , 10% , - , {{flag, Armenia , 10% , - , {{flag, Aruba , 10% , - , {{flag, Australia , 10% , - , {{flag, Azerbaijan , 10% , - , {{flag, The Bahamas , 10% , - , {{flag, Bahrain , 10% , - , {{flag, Bangladesh , 37% , - , {{flag, Barbados , 10% , - , {{flag, Belize , 10% , - , {{flag, Benin , 10% , - , {{flag, Bermuda , 10% , - , {{flag, Bhutan , 10% , - , {{flag, Bolivia , 10% , - , {{flag, Bosnia and Herzegovina , 35% , - , {{flag, Botswana , 37% , - , {{flag, Brazil , 10% , - , {{flag, British Indian Ocean Territory , 10% , - , {{flag, British Virgin Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Brunei , 24% , - , {{flag, Burundi , 10% , - , {{flag, Cabo Verde , 10% , - , {{flag, Cambodia , 49% , - , {{flag, Cameroon , 11% , - , {{flag, Cayman Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Central African Republic , 10% , - , {{flag, Chad , 13% , - , {{flag, Chile , 10% , - , {{flag, China , 125%{{Efn, Tariff was originally 34%, but was later increased by Trump , - , {{flag, Christmas Island , 10% , - , {{flag, Cocos (Keeling) Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Colombia , 10% , - , {{flag, Comoros , 10% , - , {{flag, Cook Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Costa Rica , 10% , - , {{flag, Côte d'Ivoire , 21% , - , {{flag, Curaçao , 10% , - , {{flag, Democratic Republic of the Congo , 11% , - , {{flag, Djibouti , 10% , - , {{flag, Dominica , 10% , - , {{flag, Dominican Republic , 10% , - , {{flag, Ecuador , 10% , - , {{flag, Egypt , 10% , - , {{flag, El Salvador , 10% , - , {{flag, Equatorial Guinea , 13% , - , {{flag, Eritrea , 10% , - , {{flag, Eswatini , 10% , - , {{flag, Ethiopia , 10% , - , {{flag, European Union , 20% , - , {{flag, Falkland Islands , 41% , - , {{flag, Fiji , 32% , - , {{flag, French Guiana , 10% , - , {{flag, French Polynesia , 10% , - , {{flag, Gabon , 10% , - , {{flag, The Gambia , 10% , - , {{flag, Georgia , 10% , - , {{flag, Ghana , 10% , - , {{flag, Gibraltar , 10% , - , {{flag, Grenada , 10% , - , {{flag, Guadeloupe , 10% , - , {{flag, Guatemala , 10% , - , {{flag, Guinea-Bissau , 10% , - , {{flag, Guinea , 10% , - , {{flag, Guyana , 38% , - , {{flag, Haiti , 10% , - , {{flag, Heard and McDonald Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Honduras , 10% , - , {{flag, Iceland , 10% , - , {{flag, India , 26% , - , {{flag, Indonesia , 32% , - , {{flag, Iran , 10% , - , {{flag, Iraq , 39% , - , {{flag, Israel , 17% , - , {{flag, Jamaica , 10% , - , {{flag, Japan , 24% , - , {{flag, Jordan , 20% , - , {{flag, Kazakhstan , 27% , - , {{flag, Kenya , 10% , - , {{flag, Kiribati , 10% , - , {{flag, Kosovo , 10% , - , {{flag, Kuwait , 10% , - , {{flag, Kyrgyzstan , 10% , - , {{flag, Laos , 48% , - , {{flag, Lebanon , 10% , - , {{flag, Lesotho , 50% , - , {{flag, Liberia , 10% , - , {{flag, Libya , 31% , - , {{flag, Liechtenstein , 37% , - , {{flag, Madagascar , 47% , - , {{flag, Malawi , 17% , - , {{flag, Malaysia , 24% , - , {{flag, Maldives , 10% , - , {{flag, Mali , 10% , - , {{flag, Marshall Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Martinique , 10% , - , {{flag, Mauritania , 10% , - , {{flag, Mauritius , 40% , - , {{flag, Mayotte , 10% , - , {{flag, Micronesia , 10% , - , {{flag, Moldova , 31% , - , {{flag, Monaco , 10% , - , {{flag, Mongolia , 10% , - , {{flag, Montenegro , 10% , - , {{flag, Montserrat , 10% , - , {{flag, Morocco , 10% , - , {{flag, Mozambique , 16% , - , {{flag, Myanmar , 44% , - , {{flag, Namibia , 21% , - , {{flag, Nauru , 30% , - , {{flag, Nepal , 10% , - , {{flag, New Zealand , 10% , - , {{flag, Nicaragua , 18% , - , {{flag, Niger , 10% , - , {{flag, Nigeria , 14% , - , {{flag, Norfolk Island , 29% , - , {{flag, North Macedonia , 33% , - , {{flag, Norway , 15% , - , {{flag, Oman , 10% , - , {{flag, Pakistan , 29% , - , {{flag, Panama , 10% , - , {{flag, Papua New Guinea , 10% , - , {{flag, Paraguay , 10% , - , {{flag, Peru , 10% , - , {{flag, Philippines , 17% , - , {{flag, Qatar , 10% , - , {{flag, Republic of the Congo , 10% , - , {{flag, Réunion , 37% , - , {{flag, Rwanda , 10% , - , {{flag, Saint Helena , 10% , - , {{flag, Saint Kitts and Nevis , 10% , - , {{flag, Saint Lucia , 10% , - , {{flag, Saint Pierre and Miquelon , 50% , - , {{flag, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , 10% , - , {{flag, Samoa , 10% , - , {{flag, San Marino , 10% , - , {{flag, São Tomé and Príncipe , 10% , - , {{flag, Saudi Arabia , 10% , - , {{flag, Senegal , 10% , - , {{flag, Serbia , 37% , - , {{flag, Sierra Leone , 10% , - , {{flag, Singapore , 10% , - , {{flag, Sint Maarten , 10% , - , {{flag, Solomon Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, South Africa , 30% , - , {{flag, South Korea , 25% , - , {{flag, South Sudan , 10% , - , {{flag, Sri Lanka , 44% , - , {{flag, Sudan , 10% , - , {{flag, Suriname , 10% , - , {{flag, Svalbard and Jan Mayen , 10% , - , {{flag, Switzerland , 31% , - , {{flag, Syria , 41% , - , {{flag, Taiwan , 32% , - , {{flag, Tajikistan , 10% , - , {{flag, Tanzania , 10% , - , {{flag, Thailand , 36% , - , {{flag, Timor-Leste , 10% , - , {{flag, Togo , 10% , - , {{flag, Tokelau , 10% , - , {{flag, Tonga , 10% , - , {{flag, Trinidad and Tobago , 10% , - , {{flag, Tunisia , 28% , - , {{flag, Turkey , 10% , - , {{flag, Turkmenistan , 10% , - , {{flag, Turks and Caicos Islands , 10% , - , {{flag, Tuvalu , 10% , - , {{flag, Uganda , 10% , - , {{flag, Ukraine , 10% , - , {{flag, United Arab Emirates , 10% , - , {{flag, United Kingdom , 10% , - , {{flag, Uruguay , 10% , - , {{flag, Uzbekistan , 10% , - , {{flag, Vanuatu , 22% , - , {{flag, Venezuela , 15% , - , {{flag, Vietnam , 46% , - , {{flag, Yemen , 10% , - , {{flag, Zambia , 17% , - , {{flag, Zimbabwe , 18%

Response

Financial markets

{{Main, 2025 stock market crash

Financial market A financial market is a market in which people trade financial securities and derivatives at low transaction costs. Some of the securities include stocks and bonds, raw materials and precious metals, which are known in the financial marke ...

s generally responded negatively to the announcement.

S&P 500 The Standard and Poor's 500, or simply the S&P 500, is a stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 leading companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices and in ...

index futures, which had gained 0.7% during normal trading hours, tumbled more than 3% following Trump's announcement. Similarly, Japanese

Nikkei 225 The Nikkei 225, or , more commonly called the ''Nikkei'' or the ''Nikkei index'' (), is a stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). It is a price-weighted index, operating in the Japanese yen, Japanese Yen (JP¥), and its compone ...

futures fell approximately 2%. Financial analysts expressed surprise at the tariffs' magnitude. Head of macro strategy at Academy Securities Peter Tchir described the rates as "shockingly high compared to what people were expecting" and called the announcement "a disaster". Others suggested the high rates might represent an opening position for subsequent negotiations rather than permanent policy.

Domestic

Political

Outside the White House gates following the ceremony, protestors gathered with signs depicting the

Mr. Monopoly Mr. Monopoly is the mascot of the board game ''Monopoly (game), Monopoly''. He is depicted as a portly old man with a moustache who wears a morning suit with a bowtie and top hat. In large parts of the world he is known, additionally or exclusive ...

character and messages criticizing the policy as "liberating" money from consumers' wallets to benefit wealthy interests.

Senate Democrats The Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate, sometimes referred to as the Democratic Conference, is the formal organization of all senators who are part of the Democratic Party in the United States Senate. For the makeup of the 119th Co ...

voiced opposition to the tariffs. Oregon senator

Ron Wyden Ronald Lee Wyden ( ; born May 3, 1949) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Oregon, a seat he has held since 1996 United States Senate special el ...

characterized them as "a tax on almost everything families buy" that "won't rebuild American manufacturing or help working families get ahead." A senate resolution to end the tariffs emergency failed on a vote of 49–49, with

JD Vance James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August2, 1984) is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

breaking the tie. Representative Suzan DelBene (D- WA-01), chair of the

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. The DCCC recruits candidates, raises funds and organizes races in ...

, characterized the tariffs as part of broader "chaos and dysfunction" and argued that the president should not have unilateral authority to impose such measures. Republican leadership generally supported the president's tariff actions, while acknowledging potential short-term economic disruption.

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

Mike Johnson James Michael Johnson (born January 30, 1972) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2023. A member ...

(R- LA-04) expressed confidence that despite initial difficulties, the policy would ultimately "make sense for Americans and help all Americans."

New York governor The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ha ...

Kathy Hochul Kathleen Hochul ( ; ; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician and lawyer who has served since 2021 as the 57th governor of New York. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she is New York's List of female ...

called the impending tariffs "nothing but a reckless tax on hard-working New Yorkers" that would severely damage the state's economy, particularly businesses dependent on Canadian tourism. The following day, the Trade Review Act was introduced in the Senate to limit presidential power over tariffs. The bill was supported by a bipartisan group of senators. Former

vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

, who served in Trump's first presidency, criticized the tariffs as the "largest peacetime tax hike in U.S. history". He also stated that they are "nearly 10x the size of those imposed during the Trump-Pence administration and will cost American families over $3,500 per year". ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' reported that

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman. He is known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has been considered the wealthiest person in th ...

made personal appeals to Trump to reverse the tariffs. On April 5, Musk criticized

Peter Navarro Peter Kent Navarro (born July 15, 1949) is an American economist who has been the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing to U.S. president Donald Trump since January 2025. He previously served in the first Trump administration, first as ...

, Trump's trade advisor and one of the key official behind the tariffs, questioning his educational qualifications from Harvard on X and writing "He ain’t built shit." Navarro responded by saying Musk is a "car assembler" and not a "car manufacturer". In response, on April 8, Musk called Navarro "a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks", and said he should consult "the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara".

Legal

The

Liberty Justice Center The Liberty Justice Center (LJC) is an American non-profit public interest law firm in the United States. LJC was founded in Chicago in 2011, but as of 2025 is based in Texas. In April 2025, LJC sued the Trump administration in the United States ...

, a public-interest law firm, sued the Trump administration in '' V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States'' in a case filed on April 14, 2025. The case revolves around businesses that had their entire business model potentially upended and risked closing entirely after the executive action issued by President Trump and his potentially unconstitutional tariffs. The Court set a briefing schedule and hearing to rule on plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the implementation of the "Liberation Day" tariffs. The government's response brief was filed on April 29 and the plaintiff's reply followed on May 6, 2025. The hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction and summary judgment occurred on May 13, 2025.{{Cite web , last=Jansen , first=Bart , title=Small businesses call Trump's tariffs 'unlawful,' urge federal trade court to block them , url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/13/federal-trade-court-trump-tariffs/83597029007/ , access-date=2025-05-24 , website=USA TODAY , language=en-US In ''Webber v. Trump'', two members of the

Blackfeet Nation The Blackfeet Nation (, ), officially named the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, is a federally recognized tribe of Siksikaitsitapi people with an Indian reservation in Montana. Tribal members primarily belong ...

challenged the constitutionality of tariffs imposed on Canadian goods, asserting a violation of the separation of powers and tribal treaty rights. The plaintiffs argue that the

International Emergency Economic Powers Act The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Title II of , is a United States federal law authorizing the president to regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency in response to any unusual and extraordinar ...

(IEEPA) does not authorize the president to impose tariffs, a power reserved to Congress. They also contend that the tariffs infringe the Jay Treaty of 1794, which guarantees Native Americans the right to cross the US-Canada border without duties.

Pacific Legal Foundation The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is an American nonprofit public interest law firm established for the purpose of defending and promoting individual freedom.Zumbrun, Ronald A. (2004). "Life, Liberty, and Property Rights," in ''Bringing Justice ...

(PLF), a

public interest In social science and economics, public interest is "the welfare or well-being of the general public" and society. While it has earlier philosophical roots and is considered to be at the core of democratic theories of government, often paired ...

law firm A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise consumer, clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and Obligation, respon ...

brought forth ''Princess Awesome & Stonemaier Games v. Customs'', wherein the plaintiffs contest tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), arguing the statute does not authorize tariff measures and that such actions usurp Congress’s exclusive authority over trade. They claim the tariffs are unconstitutional, economically damaging, and represent an unlawful expansion of executive power. In ''Learning Resources v. Trump'', a case before the Federal District Court in the

District of Columbia Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

, the plaintiff, a family-owned educational toymaker, challenges the legality of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs. The complaint alleges that the administration exceeded its constitutional authority by imposing broad-based import duties without congressional approval. The plaintiff asserts the tariffs will increase its import costs by roughly 4,000%, from $2.3 million to $100 million, while also causing a 25% drop in sales. The plaintiff further argues that reshoring production to the United States is economically unfeasible and that the tariffs will cause irreparable harm to American businesses and the broader economy. The plaintiff's motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for a hearing on May 27, 2025. In ''Oregon v. Trump'', the plaintiffs, the State of

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

, along with

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

and 11 other states, challenge the legality of President Trump’s global tariffs. Filed in the US Court of International Trade, the complaint asserts that Trump overstepped his constitutional authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs without congressional approval. The plaintiffs seek to have the tariffs declared unlawful, their enforcement blocked, and the executive actions rescinded. They argue that the tariffs have led to significant economic disruption, driving up prices at grocery stores and increasing utility bills, with the greatest impact on vulnerable populations. Oral argument of the States' motion for summary judgment occurred on May 21, 2025. The court took issue with the government's contention that the courts have no role to play in checking the president's use of emergency economic powers under IEEPA. Judge Jane Restani summarized the government's argument as:

Nothing is so crazy or unrelated that it could be stopped by the courts. Anything is allowed. Any declaration of emergency based on some crazy thing, any remedy, as crazy as it could be, it's all okay because the courts can't do anything.

In ''Emily Ley Paper Inc. v. Trump'', a Florida-based business challenged President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports, arguing they exceeded statutory authority and violated the

US Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constitut ...

. The plaintiff claimed the tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), were not necessary for addressing an emergency, but rather aimed at reducing the trade deficit and increasing federal revenue. Additionally, the company contended that IEEPA’s interpretation violated the nondelegation doctrine by giving the president excessive legislative powers. In May 2025, the

(CIT) held hearings for ''

V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump ''V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States'' is a consolidated 2025 case brought by V.O.S. Selections, Inc. and other small importers, and twelve U.S. states in the United States Court of International Trade challenging president Trump's Trump' ...

'' and ''Oregon v. Trump.'' On May 28, the CIT unanimously ruled that Trump had overreached his authority under the IEEPA and vacated all tariffs related to it. They concurred with the plaintiffs that IEEPA "does not authorize any of the worldwide, retaliatory, or trafficking tariff orders." The next day, an appellate court stayed the decision, allowing the tariffs to remain in effect while it considered the case.

Business organizations

American experts and business organizations raised concerns about potential inflationary effects and supply chain disruptions. The

National Retail Federation The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the world's largest retail trade association. Its members include department stores, catalog, Internet, and independent retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, multi-level marketing companies and vendors. ...

issued a statement warning that the tariffs would "cause more anxiety and uncertainty for American businesses and consumers," emphasizing that US importers, not foreign countries or suppliers, would bear the initial financial burden. The

National Association of Manufacturers The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is an advocacy group headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional offices across the United States. It is the nation's largest manufacturing industrial trade association, representing 14,000 s ...

expressed concern that the large scale of the tariffs would threaten jobs,

supply chain A supply chain is a complex logistics system that consists of facilities that convert raw materials into finished products and distribute them to end consumers or end customers, while supply chain management deals with the flow of goods in distri ...

s, investment, which in turn would threaten "America's ability to outcompete other nations and lead as the preeminent manufacturing

superpower Superpower describes a sovereign state or supranational union that holds a dominant position characterized by the ability to Sphere of influence, exert influence and Power projection, project power on a global scale. This is done through the comb ...

." The

National Restaurant Association The National Restaurant Association is a restaurant industry business association in the United States, representing more than 380,000 restaurant locations. It also operates the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The associa ...

similarly predicted that tariffs at the scale they were presented would create "change and disruption" restaurant owners would have difficulty with bearing to keep their businesses open, noting that food and

packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coo ...

costs would likely increase. Economic experts from the

libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

Cato Institute The Cato Institute is an American libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Ed Crane, Murray Rothbard, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Koch Industries.Koch ...

think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...

warned that the tariff levels approached those of the 1930

Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act The Tariff Act of 1930, also known as the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, was a protectionist trade measure signed into law in the United States by President Herbert Hoover on June 17, 1930. Named after its chief congressional sponsors, Senator Reed ...

, legislation widely believed to have exacerbated the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

International

* {{flagcountry, Argentina –

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Javier Milei Javier Gerardo Milei (born 22 October 1970) is an Argentine politician and economist who has served as President of Argentina since 2023. Milei also served as a national deputy representing the City of Buenos Aires for the party La Libertad ...

, a strong supporter of Trump, celebrated the tariffs imposed on Argentina by posting

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

's "

Friends Will Be Friends "Friends Will Be Friends" is a song performed by Queen, written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, released on 9 June 1986 as a single for the album '' A Kind of Magic''. It was the band's 30th single in the UK upon its release, reaching numbe ...

" on his Twitter account, suggesting that the country obtained the lowest percentage of 10% because of his alleged friendship with the US president.{{cite web, url=https://www.perfil.com/noticias/politica/el-tuit-de-javier-milei-con-una-cancion-de-la-banda-inglesa-queen-en-pleno-2-de-abril-que-genero-criticas-y-desconcierto.phtml, work=Perfil, language=es, accessdate=3 April 2025, date=3 April 2025, title=El provocativo tuit de Javier Milei en pleno 2 de abril: celebró a Trump con una canción de la banda inglesa Queen The post generated controversy in Argentina, because he chose to share music from an English band on the same day of the Argentine public holiday of the Day of the Veterans and Fallen of the Malvinas War, Day of the Veterans and Fallen of the Malvinas [Falklands] War.{{cite web, url=https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2025/04/03/milei-elige-la-cancion-amigos-seran-amigos-tras-anuncio-de-trump-de-subida-de-aranceles, language=es, publisher=Infobae, accessdate=3 April 2025, date=3 April 2025, title=Milei elige la canción 'Amigos serán Amigos' tras anuncio de Trump de subida de aranceles Although several Milei officials claim that the 10% tariffs are preferential treatment to Argentina, Trump announced the same percentage for left-leaning political rivals in the region such as Brazil, Chile and Colombia.{{cite web , last=Carlesso , first=Agostina , date=3 April 2025 , title=Sudamérica reacciona a los aranceles de Trump: la crítica de Boric, el festejo de Milei y la advertencia de Petro , trans-title=South America reacts to Trump's tariffs: Boric's criticism, Milei's celebration, and Petro's warning , url=https://www.newsweek.com.ar/el-mundo/sudamerica-reacciona-a-los-aranceles-de-trump-la-critica-de-boric-el-festejo-de-milei-y-la-advertencia-de-petro/ , accessdate=3 April 2025 , work=Newsweek Argentina , publisher=Newsweek , language=es * {{flagcountry, Australia – Prime Minister of Australia, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the United States' implementation of 10% tariffs on

had "no basis in logic," arguing that "a true reciprocal tariff would have been zero percent". He described the action as "not the act of a friend", but indicated Australia would not immediately impose retaliatory measures. When hearing that Heard Island and McDonald Islands also got hit by tariffs despite not being inhabited, Albanese quipped that "nowhere on Earth is safe". * {{flagcountry, Bangladesh – On April 5, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Chief Advisor of Yunus ministry, Bangladeshi Interim Government, Muhammad Yunus, called off an emergency meeting of experts, Adviser (Bangladesh), advisors and related officials in Jamuna State Guest House, his residence to discuss over the tariff issue. Following the meeting, decisions were made to increase import for reducing trade deficit with the US. On April 7, Yunus sent a personal letter to President Trump requesting a three-month postponement of the decision, highlighting initiatives to reduce trade deficit with the US. * {{flagcountry, Brazil – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Brazil), Foreign Ministry of Brazil stated that the announced 10% tariff did not "reflect reality," claiming that the United States had a $410 billion trade surplus with Brazil over 15 years. * {{flagcountry, Cambodia – In a formal letter, prime minister Hun Manet announced a reduction in trade import tariffs for US products, requested for negotiations to be opened, and for tariffs be postponed. * {{flagcountry, Canada – Prime Minister of Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada would be ready to place "retaliatory measures" for any "additional measures put against Canada." * {{flagcountry, Chile – President of Chile, President Gabriel Boric expressed "regret over the unilateral imposition of tariffs" during a meeting with business leaders in India, stating that his team is analyzing the consequences of this measure, that it is not specifically aimed at Chile, and that they evaluate opportunities to diversify trade and reduce dependence on external decisions, noting that key products like copper and wood are not included for now. * {{flagcountry, China – The Government of China, Chinese government issued a measured statement warning that protectionism leads to "nowhere", and that there are no winners in trade wars. On April 4, the State Council Tariff Commission announced retaliatory tariffs of 34%, effective April 10, which were increased to 84% after the United States imposed an additional 50% tariff on April 9. On April 11, upon another round of tariff hikes, the Ministry of Finance (China), Ministry of Finance raised the tariff rate to 125% starting from April 12 and stated that it would ignore further escalations as United States goods were "no longer marketable in China." On May 12, officials from the US and China agreed to drastically reduce for 90 days the tariff rates, from 145% to 30% and 125% to 10% respectively, while further negotiations and discussions are held. * {{flagcountry, European Union – President of the European Commission, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Trump's planned tariffs on the

, saying they were a "major blow" and that Europe is "prepared to respond." * {{Flag, Indonesia - Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that Indonesia would not retaliate against the tariffs, stating they would pursue diplomacy and negotiations with the United States, as well as finding ways to increase trade with European countries as an alternative. * {{flagcountry, Ireland – Taoiseach, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin stated that there was "no justification" for the measures, and called for a "proportionate" EU response. * {{flagcountry, Israel – Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed that he was planning on discussing the protection of his country's economy from the 17% tariff with other ministry officials. * {{flagcountry, Italy – Prime Minister of Italy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized the EU-targeted tariffs as "wrong" and pledged to work toward an agreement to prevent a mutually damaging trade conflict. * {{flagcountry, Japan – Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japanese Trade Minister Yoji Muto said that the tariffs are "extremely regrettable" and said that Japan would "continue to urge the US to exempt Japan from these tariffs." * {{Flagcountry, Malaysia – Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announced he would coordinate a regional response in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, and discussed the tariffs with counterparts from Vietnam and Indonesia. Malaysia initially did not implement retaliatory measures. * {{flagcountry, Poland – In a Twitter post, Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk responded to Trump's announcement by stating that "Friendship means partnership. Partnership means really and truly mutual duties. Adequate decisions are needed." * {{flagcountry, Russia – On 9 April, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk implied that the tariffs would have no significant impact on Russia due to preexisting sanctions preventing major trade with the United States. Overchuk additionally described the tariffs as a form of deglobalization, claiming that globalization was designed as a Western buffer against Soviet Union, Soviet dominance during the Cold War. * {{flagcountry, Singapore – Trade minister Gan Kim Yong announced that his country would not impose retaliatory tariffs against the United States because of concerns regarding price imports to Singapore. * {{flagcountry, South Korea – Industry minister Ahn Duk-geun said that the acting president Han Duck-soo implemented emergency measures for businesses affected by the 25% tariff.{{cite web, date=3 April 2025, title=Trump tariffs: List of global responses and countermeasures, work=Reuters, url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/trump-tariffs-draw-global-promises-counter-measures-2025-04-03/, access-date=6 April 2025 * {{flagcountry, Spain – Prime Minister of Spain, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called Trump's decision "an unprecedented measure that is a unilateral attack on global trade relations", and stressed that "protectionism is not a smart way to face challenges". He also announced "the immediate deployment" of a $14.1 billion Business Response and Revival Plan to mitigate the damage of US tariffs. * {{flagcountry, Switzerland – President of the Swiss Confederation, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter announced that Switzerland "has taken note" of the 31% tariff and would "quickly determine how to proceed," emphasizing that the nation's "long-term economic interests are paramount" while maintaining that "loyalty to international law and free trade remain core values." * {{flagcountry, Taiwan – Taiwan's cabinet referred to Trump's tariffs toward it as "deeply unreasonable," stating that they did not understand the calculations behind the 32% tariff and would seek to discuss them in talks in Washington. On April 6, President William Lai delivered a video speech saying that the government will make a negotiation with the USA to attempt to decrease the tariff rate, and give necessary support to the industries that the tariff policy impacts. On April 7, Premier of the Republic of China, Premier Cho Jung-tai convened a meeting with leaders of both ruling and opposition Legislative Yuan, legislative caucuses at the Executive Yuan to discuss the impact of the US tariff increases on Taiwan. * {{flagcountry, United Kingdom – Prime minister Keir Starmer said that he planned on negotiating for a trade deal with the United States and that he did not want his country to be in a trade war. * {{VNM – The country's Ministry of Industry and Trade (Vietnam), Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that Trump's 46% reciprocal tariff is "unfair" and "lacking scientific basis", citing that Vietnam's actual average Most favoured nation, MFN tariff rate for imported goods stands at just 9.4%, contradicting to the White House's accusation of 90%. Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Vietnam, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính summoned an emergency meeting with Government of Phạm Minh Chính, his cabinet and assigned two of Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, his deputies to head a rapid response task force and a government's special envoy to deal with the American administration. In a phone call with Trump, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm offered a "0%" tariff on American goods in exchange for lowering and eliminating tariffs against Vietnam, which Trump praised in a Truth Social post.{{Cite web , last=Trump , first=Donald J. , author-link=Donald Trump , date=2025-04-04 , title=Call with To Lam , url=https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114280292618523684 , access-date=2025-04-04 , website=Truth Social , language=en , quote=Just had a very productive call with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who told me that Vietnam wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S. I thanked him on behalf of our Country, and said I look forward to a meeting in the near future.

Notes

{{notelist

References

{{Trump executive actions {{Second presidency of Donald Trump {{Donald Trump {{DEFAULTSORT:Liberation Day tariffs 2025 in American law 2025 in American politics 2025 in economic history 2025 in international relations 2025 speeches April 2025 in the United States Articles containing video clips Canada–United States trade relations China–United States economic relations Customs duties Economic collapses Economic history of the United States Right-wing populism in the United States Protectionism in the United States Second presidency of Donald Trump Second Trump administration controversies Speeches by Donald Trump United States economic policy United States–European Union relations Diplomatic crises of the 2020s Tariff laws in the United States

Background

Tariff announcement

"Liberation Day" speech

List of tariffs imposed

Response

Financial markets

Domestic

Political

Legal

Business organizations

International

See also

Notes

References