Trump Administration to Raise Global Tariff to 15% 'Where Appropriate,' Trade Representative Announces
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has revealed that President Donald Trump will sign a directive in the coming days to increase the current global tariff from 10% to 15% "where appropriate." This announcement comes as the administration seeks to maintain "continuity" with nations that have established trade agreements with the United States.
Clarifying the Tariff Implementation Strategy
During an appearance on Bloomberg Television's Surveillance program, Greer provided crucial details about how the administration plans to execute Trump's threat to hike the tariff rate. "So right now, as we talked about, 10 per cent is in place. There will be a proclamation raising it to 15 per cent where appropriate," Greer stated on Wednesday.
The clarification comes amid significant confusion among U.S. trading partners following the Supreme Court's rejection of Trump's so-called "reciprocal duties." The 10% worldwide levy took effect on Tuesday, but for the next 24 hours, the administration offered minimal information about how it would implement the president's promised increase while respecting existing trade pacts.
Preserving Trade Agreements and International Relationships
Greer repeatedly emphasized that the tariff changes would not result in a higher cumulative rate for economies with established trade agreements. This represents a positive development for the European Union, United Kingdom, and other trading partners who would have faced substantially increased tariff burdens under a blanket 15% levy.
"The point is to recreate the policy that we've developed over the past year, to give continuity and be able to be in a position where we can honour the deals, but also have enforcement available," Greer explained during his television appearance.
Timeline for Reestablishing the Tariff Regime
The trade representative indicated that it could take "a couple months" for the administration to fully reestablish Trump's tariff framework in ways that uphold existing agreements following the court's decision. President Trump is currently imposing his baseline tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which grants him authority to apply the duty for up to 150 days without requiring congressional approval.
Administration officials have stated they plan to utilize this period to conduct trade investigations under other authorities, potentially opening the door to more permanent tariffs on specific products from particular countries and industries that would eventually replace the global charge.
Focus on Bilateral Agreements and China Trade Relations
Greer also signaled that discussions are primarily aimed at establishing side-deals with Canada and Mexico rather than pursuing a wholesale rewrite of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). This targeted approach suggests a more nuanced strategy than initially anticipated.
Regarding trade relations with China, Greer confirmed that the United States intends to maintain levies on Chinese goods within a range of 35% to 50%, depending on the specific product. President Trump is expected to meet with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in late March or early April to discuss extending their nations' tariff truce.
"We expect that level to remain in place. We don't intend to escalate beyond that. We intend to really stick to the deal that we had before," Greer stated during a separate appearance on Fox Business.
Legal Framework and Future Implications
The administration's tariff strategy operates within the legal parameters established by the 1974 Trade Act, which provides the president with temporary authority to implement such measures. This legal foundation allows the administration time to develop more targeted approaches while maintaining pressure on trading partners.
As the situation continues to evolve, international markets and trade partners will be closely monitoring how the "where appropriate" qualification is applied and which nations might receive exemptions or special considerations based on existing agreements and diplomatic relationships.
