Trump doubles down on reciprocal tariffs, vowing a 'level playing field'
President Trump defended his presidential memorandum proposing reciprocal tariffs in a Truth Social post Saturday, saying the move will ensure a "level playing field for American workers."
Trump said the U.S. has been treated unfairly by other countries, including both friends and adversaries.
"This System will immediately bring Fairness and Prosperity back into the previously complex and unfair System of Trade," Trump wrote in the Truth Social post.
"America has helped many Countries throughout the years, at great financial cost. It is now time that these Countries remember this, and treat us fairly – A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR AMERICAN WORKERS," the post read.
The president added he has instructed the Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of the Treasury, and United States Trade Representative (USTR) to do everything that's needed "to deliver reciprocity" to the trade system.
Trump said the administration would consider countries that use the VAT System, which he called "far more punitive than a tariff," to be similar to that of a tariff.
"Sending merchandise, product, or anything by any other name through another country, for purposes of unfairly harming America, will not be accepted," he wrote.
"If a Country feels that the United States would be getting too high a Tariff, all they have to do is reduce or terminate their Tariff against us," the president added. "There are no Tariffs if you manufacture or build your product in the United States," the post further says.
On Thursday, Trump signed a presidential memorandum that proposed reciprocal tariffs, which, according to him, would crack down on unfair and discriminatory tariffs from both U.S. adversaries and allies.
Reciprocal tariffs will be tailored to individual foreign trading partners, focusing on five key areas: U.S. goods tariffs imposed by the nation, unfair taxes levied, the financial impact on U.S. businesses and consumers due to foreign countries' policies, exchange rates, and any other discriminatory trade practices identified by the trade representative.
The tariffs were not immediately imposed, but the signing of the memo allows his administration to begin a review process to get them started.
White House officials suggested Trump is eager to go ahead with the tariffs, saying it would be “weeks” and no longer than “a few months” until they are in place.
Earlier, on Friday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump’s decision to study the proposed reciprocal tariffs instead of immediately enacting them.
“As we’ve learned that with President Trump, you should take him at his word. This is not theater. The April 1 deadline is for a study that the Commerce Department is doing on global tariffs that apply to U.S. products, country-by-country,” Bessent said on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria.”
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