The United States will impose tariffs on countries that “harm” America, President Donald Trump announced, naming China, India, and Brazil as examples of high-tariff nations.
Speaking to House Republicans at a retreat in Florida, Trump said, “We’re going to put tariffs on outside countries and outside people that really mean harm to us. Well, they mean us harm, but they basically want to make their country good.”
Trump reiterated his earlier stance on potentially slapping “100 percent tariffs” on the BRICS grouping, which includes India.
By prioritising tariffs and domestic production, the administration aims to reshape global trade dynamics in favour of American workers and industries.
Highlighting his administration’s trade vision, Trump declared that the US would prioritise domestic prosperity over foreign benefits. “Look at what others do. China is a tremendous tariff maker, and India and Brazil and so many other countries. So we’re not going to let that happen any longer because we’re going to put America first,” he asserted.
Trump emphasised the urgency of returning to a system that made the US “richer and more powerful than ever before.”
Promising a “very fair system,” Trump projected that new tariffs would lead to economic gains for the US. “Money is going to come into our coffers, and America is going to be very rich again,” he said, adding that this would happen “very quickly”.
He also highlighted his administration’s goal to lower domestic taxes by increasing tariffs on foreign nations. “Under the America First economic model, as tariffs on other countries go up, taxes on American workers and businesses will come down, and massive numbers of jobs and factories will come home,” Trump said.
Trump urged companies to set up manufacturing units within the US to avoid paying tariffs. “If you want to stop paying the taxes or the tariffs, you have to build your plant right here in America,” he said.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
