A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has sent letters this week outlining higher tariffs countries will face if they don’t make trade deals with the US by Aug. 1.

Some mirror the so-called “reciprocal” rates Trump unveiled against dozens of trading partners in April — the bulk of which were later postponed just hours after taking effect. But many are higher or lower than those previously announced amounts.

So far, Trump has warned the European Union and 24 nations, including major trading partners like South Korea and Japan, that steeper tariffs will be imposed starting Aug. 1.

Nearly all of these letters took the same general tone with the exception of Brazil, Canada, the EU and Mexico, which included more specifics about Trump’s issues with those countries.

Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10 percent levy on goods entering the US since April, on top of other levies on specific products like steel and automobiles. And future escalation is still possible. In his letters, which were posted on Truth Social, Trump warned countries that they would face even higher tariffs if they retaliated by increasing their own import taxes.

Here’s a look at the countries that have gotten tariff letters so far — and where things stand now:

Brazil

Tariff rate: 50 percent starting Aug. 1. Brazil wasn’t threatened with an elevated “reciprocal” rate in April — but, like other countries, has faced Trump’s 10 percent baseline over the last three months.

Key exports to the US: Petroleum, iron products, coffee and fruit juice.

Response: In a forceful response, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Trump’s tariffs would trigger the country’s economic reciprocity law — which allows trade, investment and intellectual property agreements to be suspended against countries that harm Brazil’s competitiveness. He also noted that the US has had a trade surplus of more than $410 billion with Brazil over the past 15 years.

Myanmar

Tariff rate: 40 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 44 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Clothing, leather goods and seafood

Response: Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government said it will follow up with negotiations.

Laos

Tariff rate: 40 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 48 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Shoes with textile uppers, wood furniture, electronic components and optical fiber

Cambodia

Tariff rate: 36 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 49 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Textiles, clothing, shoes and bicycles

Response: Cambodia’s chief negotiator, Sun Chanthol, said the country successfully got the tariff dropped from the 49 percent Trump announced in April to 36 percent and is ready to hold a new round of negotiations. He appealed to investors, especially factory owners, and the country’s nearly 1 million garment workers not to panic about the tariff rate announced Monday.

Thailand

Tariff rate: 36 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Computer parts, rubber products and gemstones

Response: Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said Thailand will continue to push for tariff negotiations with the United States. Thailand on Sunday submitted a new proposal that includes opening the Thai market for more American agricultural and industrial products and increasing imports of energy and aircraft.

Bangladesh

Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 37 percent announced in April.

Key export to the US: Clothing

Response: Bangladesh’s finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh hopes to negotiate for a better outcome. There are concerns that additional tariffs would make Bangladesh’s garment exports less competitive with countries like Vietnam and India.

Canada

Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 25 percent imposed earlier this year on goods that don’t comply with a North American trade agreement covering the US, Canada and Mexico. Some of Canada’s top exports to the US are subject to different industry-specific tariffs.

Key exports to the US: Oil and petroleum products, cars and trucks

Response: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on X early Friday that the government will continue to work toward a trade deal by the new Aug. 1 deadline.

Serbia

Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 37 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Software and IT services; car tires

Indonesia

Tariff rate: 32 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Palm oil, cocoa butter and semiconductors

Algeria

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Petroleum, cement and iron products

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 35 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Weapons and ammunition

The European Union

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 20 percent announced in April but less than the 50 percent Trump later threatened.

Key exports to the US: Pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits.

Iraq

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 39 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Crude oil and petroleum products

Response: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the tariffs would disrupt essential supply chains “to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.” She said the EU remains ready to continue working toward an agreement but will take necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including countermeasures if required.

Libya

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 31 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Petroleum products

Mexico

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 25 percent imposed earlier this year on goods that don’t comply with the free trade agreement covering the US, Mexico and Canada. Some of Mexico’s top exports to the US are subject to other sector-specific tariffs.

Key exports to the US: Cars, motor vehicle parts and accessories, crude oil, delivery trucks, computers, agricultural products

South Africa

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Platinum, diamonds, vehicles and auto parts

Response: The office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that the tariff rates announced by Trump mischaracterized the trade relationship with the US, but it would “continue with its diplomatic efforts toward a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States” after having proposed a trade framework on May 20.

Sri Lanka

Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 44 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Clothing and rubber products

Brunei

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Mineral fuels and machinery equipment

Moldova

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 31 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Fruit juice, wine, clothing and plastic products

Japan

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Autos, auto parts, electronic

Response: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the tariff “extremely regrettable” but said he was determined to continue negotiating.

Kazakhstan

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 27 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Oil, uranium, ferroalloys and silver

Malaysia

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Electronics and electrical products

Response: Malaysia’s government said it will pursue talks with the US A cabinet meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.

South Korea

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Vehicles, machinery and electronics

Response: South Korea’s Trade Ministry said early Tuesday that it will accelerate negotiations with the United States to achieve a deal before the 25 percent tax goes into effect.

Tunisia

Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 28 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Animal and vegetable fats, clothing, fruit and nuts

Philippines

Tariff rate: 20 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 17 percent announced in April.

Key exports to the US: Electronics and machinery, clothing and gold

ARSLANBAP: Rustling through fallen golden leaves, locals in a forest outside Arslanbob in the Kyrgyz mountains were scurrying for walnuts — an ancient pastime and economic lifeline for the region.
But the forest, the world’s largest wild walnut grove, has for years been slowly fading — hit by the overgrazing of livestock, illegal logging and rising temperatures.
“The forest used to be so dense but it has thinned out,” said Asel Alisheva, a pensioner from the village, officially known as Arslanbap, who has been foraging there for decades.
She was once afraid to venture too far into the wood.
“It used to be impossible to walk through. Now there are so many people,” she told AFP.
“The difference is striking,” the 70-year-old added as she cracked walnuts in a roadside tent.
Locals have gathered the earthy tough-shelled nuts here for generations.
They are both an economic staple and a symbol of the Jalal-Abad region.
“Nowhere else in the world is there such a large concentration of natural walnut forests,” said regional forestry expert Zakir Sarymsakov.
He also highlighted the “vast variety” of walnut species that can be found in the region.
For locals, walnuts are a bread-and-butter issue.
“This is how we make a living. There are no other ways, only walnuts. This is how we feed our children,” said Arno Narynbaeva, 53, who has been picking them since childhood.

- Poor harvests -

At the bustling village bazaar, men stack bulging walnut sacks, while women do the trade.
But business has seen better days — the harvests have been poor lately.
“In the 2000s, we used to receive large quantities, up to 15 tons per day. These days, we get three to four, and it decreases year by year,” seller Zhazgul Omurzakova said.
“The climate is getting hotter and drier every year, and the nuts are losing their quality, turning red inside,” the 47-year-old said.
Whiter kernels are worth more as the nuts’ visual appeal is important for pastry-makers.
“Hot weather harms the walnuts. They fall, burn, and turn black,” said picker Narynbaeva.
“We have never seen this happen before.”
Average temperatures in Central Asia have risen by about 1.5C since 1991, twice the global average, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN climate agency.
More frequent droughts that accompany the hotter weather have also hit the walnut groves.
Locals are trying to address the problem, including by seeding millions of trees in the Arslanbob forest nursery.
But water shortages, chronic across Central Asia, have hit those efforts.
“Over the past two to three years, there has been no rain, and it has become hot,” said Temir Emirov, who works in the tree nursery.
“The ground has dried out, and the grass has withered,” he added.
“The seedlings haven’t received water for a month and are using their own moisture to survive.”

- ‘Big plans’ -

Other human activity is also taking a toll on the forest.
“Since we don’t have pastures, livestock is a problem,” said chief forest ranger Ibragim Turgunbekov.
Cattle herds, expanding in size and number, have trampled the soil and eaten young shoots.
Illegal logging — with locals preferring trees over more expensive coal for firewood — has also thinned out the forest.
Ranger Turgunbekov issues fines and tries to convince farmers to reduce the size of their herds.
Local imams have even called on their followers to help preserve the walnut trees.
Some want stricter measures, such as taxing surplus livestock or a government ban on grazing near settlements.
Turgunbekov said a solution could be better utilising the walnuts’ economic potential.
“If we make perfumes or oils out of walnuts and ship them to Europe, their value will increase,” he said.
“By selling at higher prices, locals will be more motivated and will take better care of the forest.”
Abdulaziz Khalmuradov, 16, is one of the region’s young people trying to do just that.
After school, he makes walnut oil using a traditional press.
“I want to increase the number of machines and produce not only walnut oil but also many other types, such as apricot oil,” the aspiring entrepreneur told AFP.
He also wants to push sustainable tourism to the region.
“Tourism in Arslanbob is underdeveloped. If the number of tourists increases, volumes will increase,” he told AFP.
“When I grow up, I have big plans.”

A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters