President Donald Trump has said he plans to impose import tariffs of more than 10 percent on ‘‘smaller nations,’’ including countries in Africa and the Caribbean and said he struck a deal with Indonesia that will see Indonesian goods entering the US facing 19 percent tariffs.
"We’ll probably set one tariff for all of them," Trump told reporters on Tuesday, suggesting a flat rate "a little over 10%" for goods from at least 100 countries.
The tariffs are expected to take effect starting August 1.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick clarified that the targeted countries would largely be in Africa and the Caribbean — regions that account for relatively low volumes of US trade and are unlikely to significantly impact Trump's broader aim of reducing trade imbalances.
On Indonesia, Trump said the deal was significantly below the 32 percent he initially threatened.
Letters sent by Trump
"As part of the Agreement, Indonesia has committed to purchasing $15 Billion Dollars in US Energy, $4.5 Billion Dollars in American Agricultural Products, and 50 Boeing Jets, many of them 777's," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump has already sent letters to around two dozen countries and the European Union, outlining tariff rates to be enforced beginning next month.
The latest round of tariffs follows his earlier announcement in April, which introduced historically high import taxes and triggered market volatility.
A 90-day negotiation period he initiated at the time expired on July 9.
The president also signaled that pharmaceutical imports could face new tariffs by the end of the month.
"We’ll probably announce something there," he said.
He added that tariffs on computer chips would follow a similar model, starting with lower rates to allow domestic production before increasing over time.
