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Rubber World Magazine - April 9, 2025 - President Donald Trump is pausing reciprocal tariffs on most countries other than China for 90 days and is instead implementing a base tariff of 10 percent on most goods.
The pause does not extend to sectoral tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at an April 9 news conference at the White House. Those tariffs include a 25 percent duty on vehicle imports that went into effect April 3, as well as steel and aluminum levies.
The move represents an about-face by the Trump administration, which implemented reciprocal duties on countries earlier in the day April 9. Those reciprocal duties will no longer apply and will be replaced by a 10 percent levy for 90 days while the White House negotiates with other nations on trade, Bessent said.
The reciprocal tariffs do not apply to vehicles and parts subject to the auto tariff, nor do they apply to steel and aluminum imports.
The tariff pause does not apply to imports from China. Trump said he would raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 125 percent after it retaliated against his latest round of levies. Trump had previously raised the effective tariff rate on most Chinese goods to 104 percent.
More than 75 countries have contacted the White House since Trump announced the reciprocal duties, Bessent said, adding that the tariffs the administration announced then should be seen by the markets as a ceiling.
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