President Donald Trump still intends that the new reciprocal tariff rates enter into force on April 2, a White House official said on Tuesday, despite previous comments of the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besent, who indicated a possible delay in his activation.
“The intention is to implement tariffs on April 2,” said the official when he was asked to clarify Besent’s comments that countries would have the opportunity to avoid higher tariffs by reducing their own commercial barriers.
“Unless the tariff and non -tariff barriers equal, or that the United States has higher tariffs, tariffs will take effect,” said the White House official.
Besent declared the “Mornings With Maria” program of Fox Business Network that on April 2 Trump would give to commercial partners a reciprocal tariff number that reflects its own rates, non -tariff commercial barriers, exchange practices and other factors, but could negotiate to avoid a “tariff wall”.
“On April 2, each country will receive a figure that we believe represents its tariffs,” said Besent. “For some countries, it could be quite low;
“We are going to them and tell them: ‘Look, this is where we believe that the tariff levels are: non -tariff barriers, monetary manipulation, unfair financing, work suppression, and if they stop this, we will not lift the tariff wall,” Bessent added on commercial partners.
Lee: experts see an imminent economic recession in Mexico for Trump tariffs: IMEF
“I am optimistic that on April 2 some tariffs may not have to remain in force because there is already a previously negotiated agreement, or that once the countries receive their reciprocal tariff number, immediately later they will go to us and want to negotiate a reduction,” said Bessent.
Countries that do not reduce their commercial barriers will face higher tariffs aimed at protecting the US economy, its workers and industries, Besent added.
Their comments were interpreted as that, although the proposed tariffs would be announced on April 2, its implementation could be delayed to give time to negotiations. However, the White House official said that any agreement of this type should be negotiated in advance to avoid the new tariffs.
Detailed work
The opposing comments illustrate the evolutionary nature of the new reciprocal tariffs of Trump only two weeks after the activation deadline of April 2.
The details of the plan are still being prepared, said a White House officer, and much of the technical work on the expected tariffs is in charge of the office of the United States commercial representative, headed by Jamieson Greer, and his staff of about 200 people in the USTR.
Vice President JD Vance has also played a more active role in discussions in recent weeks, the official said.
A USTr spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comments on the reciprocal tariff plan.
Greer and his staff have been fighting how to design reciprocal tariffs since each of the 186 members of the World Customs Organization has different tariff rates, sources familiar with the process said.
Lee: EU barley producers fear Trump’s tariffs against beer consumption
The calculation of tariff rates is complicated by Trump’s promise to reflect the impact of non -tariff barriers, including taxes and other measures that, according to US officials, give companies in other countries an unfair advantage.
In the departments of Commerce and Treasury, political appointments have also run with hiring delays related to background research, which has created some bottlenecks in the negotiations, the same sources familiar with the process said.
Financial markets are increasingly nervous about the impact that Trump’s tariffs and reprisals of their commercial partners will have on inflation and economic growth. US actions fell on Tuesday before the Federal Reserve decision on interest rates on Wednesday.
Unleashing conversations
The Trump administration expects tariff ads to cause offers by the affected countries to reduce their own tariffs or non -tariff measures, said the official, noting that India, for example, was already trying to get ahead of US measures.
After the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Trump met last month, the two nations agreed to resolve tariff disputes and work in the first segment of an agreement for the autumn of 2025, with the aim of reaching a bidirectional trade of 500,000 million dollars by 2030.
Trump often points to India as the country with the highest average tariff rates among the main commercial partners, while the countries of the European Union are criticized for their high tariff rate of 10% for cars, which is four times the 2.5% rate for passenger cars in the United States, but less than the 25% tariff for trucks.
Besent said that the Trump administration is particularly focused on 15% of countries that have the highest tariffs and large commercial volumes with the United States, which it referred to as the “dirty 15”.
LEE: Countries can avoid April Trump tariffs reducing commercial barriers: EU
These countries also have regulations that regulate the national content or food security that conspire to maintain US products outside their markets, he said.
The British Minister of Business and Commerce, Jonathan Reynolds, arrived in Washington this week to meet in person with Lutnick and Greer, and both parties talked about the prospects of a bilateral commercial agreement focused on technology.
With Reuters information
Inspy, discover and share. Follow us and find what you are looking for on our Instagram!
