Trump issues letters to 8 more countries, slaps 50% tariff on Brazil

US President Donald Trump

In a new trade measure, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped 50 per cent US tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1, and blasted the trial of the country's ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro as a "Witch Hunt." Earlier in the day, he imposed tariffs as high as 30 per cent on goods from seven countries including Libya, Iraq, and Algeria, among others.

The announcement was made by the US President on his Truth Social platform through letters posted for each country mentioning the tariff rates.

The move comes close on the heels of Trump’s earlier notifications to 14 countries -- where he accused them of contributing to trade deficits and blocking US exports. The new batch brings the total number of targeted nations to 22 under the administration’s expanding tariff campaign.

The new tariffs will take effect from August 1, pending negotiations.

Which are the countries to be impacted by Trump's new tariff announcement?

Algeria: 30 per cent

Iraq: 30 per cent

Libya: 30 per cent

Philippines: 20 per cent

Brunei: 25 per cent

Moldova: 25 per cent

Sri Lanka: 30 per cent

Brazil: 50 per cent

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had said at a cabinet meeting that "a letter means a deal". Separately, he mentioned that the new levies would take effect on August 1, 2025, with no room for delay.

"As per letters sent to various countries yesterday, in addition to letters that will be sent today, tomorrow, and for the next short period of time, TARIFFS WILL START BEING PAID ON AUGUST 1, 2025. There has been no change to this date, and there will be no change. In other words, all money will be due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025 - No extensions will be granted. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he wrote on Truth Social.

What Trump said on BRICS?

While talking to reporters at the cabinet meeting, Trump claimed that BRICS was established to “hurt” the US and “degenerate” the dollar as he warned that the member countries of the bloc would face a 10 per cent tariff. “They have to pay 10 per cent if they are in BRICS,” he added further.

Other countries who got tariff letters from Trump

The other countries who got the tariff letters from Trump are Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Indonesia, South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, Tunisia, Japan, South Korea and Kazakhstan.