‘Liberation Day’: Why Donald Trump coined this term for his reciprocal tariffs?

US President Donald Trump - File Photo

US President Donald Trump has introduced the term “Liberation Day” to describe the roll out of his reciprocal tariffs on April 2, which he claims will stop America being "ripped off" and will deliver a new "golden age" of US industry.

Early Wednesday, Trump posted a one-liner on his Truth Social platform: "It's Liberation Day in America!" Soon after, top leaders from his administration shared similar posts.

Why ‘Liberation Day’?

Trump says it reflects America’s decisive push to free itself from what he calls unfair trade practices and economic exploitation by other nations.

He recently wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, “LIBERATION DAY IN AMERICA IS COMING, SOON, FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, BOTH FRIEND AND FOE. BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER.”

Trump has called “tariffs” the “most beautiful” word in the dictionary and claimed 19th-century tariffs led to the peak of the United States' prosperity, reported the Washington Post.

His rhetoric has long focused on what he sees as America’s unfair treatment in global trade, arguing that countries impose higher tariffs on US goods while flooding American markets with their own markets at lower costs.

By calling this move "Liberation Day," Trump claims to have framed the tariffs as an act of economic independence—a move with which the will reclaim control over its trade policies and push back against what he calls “trade abuses.”

What it means for the world

Key US trading partners including the European Union and Britain said they were preparing their responses to Trump's escalation, as nervous markets fell in Europe and America.

Trump has kept the world guessing until the last minute about the scale and scope, with the White House saying he was still "perfecting" them with just hours to go.

Reports say he could either hit countries with tit-for-tat tariffs, impose blanket 20 percent tariffs -- or, more probably, give some countries preferential treatment depending on their deficits.

The Republican president said in his last public appearance Monday that he would be "very kind" but gave little away.

Trump's long-awaited announcement is also causing global turmoil, with stock markets jittery for days and countries in the crosshairs scrambling to decide how to react.

The White House said Trump's tariffs would come into effect "immediately" after Wednesday's announcement, effectively ruling out delays for negotiations.

Sweeping auto tariffs of 25 percent are due to take effect April 3, after Trump earlier imposed duties on steel and aluminum imports and goods from China.

But Trump has wobbled on several other tariff announcements since returning to office in January, blinking at the last minute with allies such as Canada and Mexico.